10: Chapter 10 Foundation Establishment Astounds the World, Sharp Blade Unsheathed

Three days later, in the early morning, the Lin Family's small courtyard was gently enveloped in a thin layer of spiritual mist.

This mist was swirling and hazy; it was not a gift from the heavens, but rather the natural convergence of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi triggered by Lin Cang's impact on Foundation Establishment.

Carrying a faint heavenly pressure, it made every clansman in the courtyard hold their breath, both nervous and full of expectation.

On the martial arts field, Lin Yue stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes moving on their own despite the lack of wind.

His gaze was like a hawk's, locked onto Lin Cang's tightly closed wooden hut, his Aura as heavy as a mountain.

Behind him, thirty members of the Guard Team stood solemnly with their hands on their swords, even their breathing was intentionally lightened. Everyone understood that today would be the true turning point for the Lin Family's fate.

"Buzz..."

Without any warning, a majestic Aura far exceeding the Qi Refinement Stage suddenly erupted from the wooden hut!

The spiritual mist in the courtyard was stirred as if by an invisible hand, churning and gathering frantically, actually forming a visible pale green Spiritual Qi vortex above the wooden hut!

Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from all directions was forcibly drawn in, flowing into the vortex and then pouring into the house.

The green tiles on the courtyard walls rattled, and the residents of Sunset Town in the distance were also startled, looking toward the Lin Family's direction with horrified expressions.

"It's done!"

The old butler Lin Zhong was so excited that his beard trembled and his old eyes filled with tears.

A relieved smile finally appeared at the corner of Lin Yue's mouth.

He sensed that the Aura in the room had completely stabilized at Early Stage Foundation Establishment, and its Foundation was solid and its spiritual power condensed.

Far exceeding ordinary Cultivators who had just achieved a Breakthrough, this was precisely the result of long-term subtle nourishment by the pure Spiritual Qi of the plane.

"Creak—"

The wooden door was gently pushed open.

Lin Cang walked out slowly.

His originally graying hair and beard had now turned nearly half black, and the deep wrinkles on his face had faded significantly; he looked as if he had grown twenty years younger.

Most striking were his eyes, deep as an ancient well or a cold pool; as he blinked, a faint spiritual light flowed within them.

His entire body was surrounded by a mysterious charm that faintly resonated with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Foundation Establishment Stage, the preliminary leap in life level!

"Grand Elder!"

All the clansmen saluted in unison, their voices trembling slightly with excitement, their eyes filled with unparalleled awe and wild joy.

Under the sky of Sunset Town, the first Foundation Establishment Cultivator was born in the Lin Family!

Lin Cang raised his hand in a gesture of assistance, his gaze first falling on Lin Yue with gratification and emotion: "Yue kid, this old man has fortunately lived up to the mission."

"Congratulations to the Grand Elder for successfully achieving Foundation Establishment!" Lin Yue solemnly cupped his hands, then changed the subject, his eyes flashing with sharp light, "Now, it's time to make some people pay the price."

Upon hearing this, the gentle look on Lin Cang's face vanished, replaced by the majesty a Foundation Establishment Cultivator should have: "The Zhang and Li families have probably already sensed the movement of my Breakthrough. They will never sit idly by and watch the Lin Family grow stronger."

"They won't have the chance." Lin Yue's voice was calm but carried a bone-chilling coldness, "Instead of waiting for them to join forces and attack us in fear, it's better for us to take the initiative and wipe out the threat with thunderous momentum!"

"Which Family shall we attack first?"

"The Zhang Family." Lin Yue said without hesitation, "Zhang Ba has the greatest ambition and the deepest grudge against my Lin Family, and his strength was originally the strongest among the three families. Destroying the Zhang Family will deter the Li Family to the greatest extent, and may even allow us to defeat them without a fight."

"Good! We will do as you say!" Lin Cang's beard and hair bristled slightly as his Foundation Establishment Stage Aura rose faintly.

"Today, I shall use this Zhang Family to test the sharpness of my Foundation Establishment!"

"Guard Team, hear my command!" Lin Yue turned around, his voice echoing through the field, "Check your weapons, distribute Medicinal Pills, and in half an incense stick's time, set out with me and the Grand Elder!"

"As you command!" The roar shook the sky, and the killing intent soared.

Half an incense stick later, the Lin Family's main gate swung wide open. Lin Cang, dressed in a simple green robe, walked at the front.

He didn't intentionally release pressure, but that invisible field belonging to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator had already spread in all directions like a tide; wherever he passed, birds flew away in fear and insects fell silent.

Lin Yue followed closely behind, the low-grade Magical Artifact 'Green Peak Sword' at his waist, obtained from the Black Stone Merchant Team, hummed slightly, seemingly sensing its master's Battle Intent.

The thirty members of the Guard Team marched in unison, their iron armor clashing with their scabbards to produce a clanging sound, a chilling and bloodthirsty Aura piercing the clouds.

This silently advancing team was like a peerless sharp blade that had just been quenched and unsheathed, showing its edge and instantly shattering the past tranquility of Sunset Town.

"Are that the Lin Family's forces?"

"Look at the leader, it's Old Master Lin Cang! The Aura on him... heavens, it's Foundation Establishment! The Lin Family has a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!"

"They're headed for the center of town, that's the direction of the Zhang Family! Something big is about to happen!"

The townspeople on both sides of the street watched in horror, then one after another closed their doors and windows, only daring to peek through the cracks.

The news spread as if it had wings, flying frantically toward the Zhang and Li Family residences in the town.

Zhang Family, main hall.

Zhang Ba was in a secret discussion with the hurriedly arrived Li Family Clan Chief, Li Shan.

The original calculation and ruthlessness on their faces instantly turned pale when they felt that undisguised, sweeping Foundation Establishment pressure.

"Foundation Establishment?! That old fellow Lin Cang, he actually broke through?!" Zhang Ba suddenly stood up.

The pearwood chair beneath him was cracked by the escaping energy, and his eyes were full of disbelief and bone-deep fear.

Li Shan was equally pale, forcing himself to remain calm: "Brother Zhang, they are coming for your Zhang Family! This is the time for our two families to set aside our differences and resist the enemy together! I'll go back and gather..."

"Join forces? Join my foot!" Zhang Ba no longer had any thoughts of an Alliance; Foundation Establishment and non-Foundation Establishment were as different as clouds and mud! He roared with bloodshot eyes.

"They are coming for my Zhang Family! Li Shan, you want to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight? Get out! Get out right now!"

A sinister look flashed in Li Shan's eyes, but he cupped his hands in response: "Since Brother Zhang says so, I will return to my Family to mobilize manpower and will surely be your backup!"

After saying that, he actually led a few confidants and left hurriedly without looking back, his speed several times faster than when he arrived.

"Bastard! Scoundrel!" Zhang Ba watched Li Shan's departing back, trembling with rage but helpless.

He suddenly turned around and roared at the panicked clansmen and guards:

"Everyone! Guard the gate! Archers on the wall! Formation Masters, activate the defensive Formation! This old man doesn't believe that a newly broken-through Foundation Establishment can destroy my Zhang Family's hundred-year Foundation in an instant!"

However, while his roar was still echoing in the hall, a world-shaking boom had already come from the direction of the gate... "BOOM!!!"

It wasn't an impact, nor was it an explosion.

In the distance, before the Lin Family team had even reached the gate, Lin Cang, who was walking at the front, simply seemed to casually raise his right hand, pointed his fingers like a sword, and tapped in the air toward the two heavy iron-clad wooden doors of the Zhang Family.

A beam of condensed, arm-thick earthy yellow spiritual power shot out from his finger!

As the beam passed, the air let out a sharp whistle from being torn apart, and a shallow groove was plowed into the ground.

The next second, the beam accurately hit the center of the Zhang Family's main gate.

There was no violent explosion, but the solid wood and iron plating, under the impact of the pure and domineering spiritual power of the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Like a shortbread hit by a giant hammer, it instantly caved inward from the center point, twisted, and then completely shattered!

Countless wood chips and iron fragments mixed with dust shot into the inner courtyard.

The heavy gate, along with the door bolt behind it and part of the gatehouse structure, was actually completely turned to powder by the power of this one finger!

Before the dust had settled, Lin Cang's voice, as deep as a bell or drum, clearly reached everyone's ears in the Zhang Family, carrying the Soul-shaking power unique to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator: "Zhang Ba, come out and meet your death!"

Upon hearing the voice, many Zhang Family disciples with lower cultivation immediately turned pale, their blood and Qi surged backward, and they almost collapsed to the ground.

"Lin Cang! You've gone too far!"

Zhang Ba's eyes were nearly splitting, knowing there was no way out, he roared and rushed out with his saber.

His Late Stage Qi Refining Peak spiritual power erupted without reservation, and the hundred-refined steel saber that had accompanied him for many years was covered in a layer of dazzling blood-red light; it was the opening move of the Zhang Family's ancestral Blood Battle Saber Technique, Blood Flames Soaring!

The saber's momentum was tragic and unstoppable, carrying all his anger and despair as it slashed toward Lin Cang, who had just stepped into the ruins.

"An ant trying to shake a tree."

Facing this saber strike that was enough to strike fear into any Qi Refining Stage Cultivator, Lin Cang only faintly uttered four words.

He didn't even use any Martial Skill or dharma formula; he simply flicked his sleeve, and majestic earth-attribute spiritual power surged out like a wave, forming a solid earthy yellow light shield in front of him.

"Clang—!"

The blood-flame saber Qi slammed hard against the light shield, producing a deafening sound of clashing metal.

The light shield remained motionless, not even a ripple appearing.

In contrast, Zhang Ba only felt an irresistible force rebound back; the webbing between his thumb and index finger instantly split, blood flowed, and the hundred-refined saber let out a groan of being overtaxed, fine cracks actually appearing on the blade!

His whole body was shaken back more than a dozen steps, his internal blood and Qi churning like boiling water; a mouthful of blood surged up his throat, but he forcibly swallowed it back, his face already a shade of ashen gray.

The gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining was actually so terrifying!

Just the simplest external release of spiritual power for defense had rendered his full-strength strike useless and even harmed him in return!

"Peak Qi Refining? Nothing more than this." Lin Cang shook his head, seemingly a bit disappointed.

He no longer gave Zhang Ba any chance, taking a step forward and instantly closing in as if shrinking the earth, his right hand pressing a palm light as a feather toward Zhang Ba's chest.

This palm seemed slow but was actually faster than lightning; under the shroud of the palm's momentum, Zhang Ba only felt the surrounding air become thick and heavy, making it difficult to dodge!

In the palm, the earthy yellow spiritual power was concentrated to the extreme, and a phantom of a mountain faintly appeared. Thick Earth Palm, Mountain Suppressing!

Zhang Ba roared, desperately urging his remaining spiritual power to block with his saber.

"Crack!"

First was the ear-piercing sound of metal snapping; that precious saber that had accompanied him for many years was actually broken in half by a single palm strike!

Immediately after, the palm force imprinted itself on his crossed arms without any hindrance.

"Pfft!"

The bones in both arms shattered at the sound!

The remaining palm force didn't dissipate, slamming heavily into his chest.

Zhang Ba flew backward like a broken sack, blood spurting wildly from his mouth mixed with fragments of internal organs; he knocked down the door pillar of the hall behind him and slid softly to the ground, his breath faint, having completely lost his combat capability.

"Patriarch!" The Zhang Family members let out cries of despair.

At the same time, Lin Yue's figure had already cut into the chaotic Zhang Family crowd like a ghost.

"Guard Team, form the Seven Star Battle Formation! Clear out those who resist, those who surrender will not be killed!" His cold voice rang out.

"Kill!"

Lin Hu roared, and the Guard Team, which had already practiced to perfection, instantly broke into smaller units, forming several small Seven Star Battle Formations of seven people each, like several sharp razors cutting into the panicked Zhang Family guard ranks.

Sword light flashed, and with tacit cooperation, Zhang Family guards often screamed and fell to the ground within a few moves.

Lin Yue himself locked his gaze on the other two Late Stage Qi Refining Elders of the Zhang Family.

Seeing Zhang Ba's crushing defeat, those two were terrified and coincidentally tried to flee in different directions.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Lin Yue sneered, executing Flowing Cloud Steps to the limit, his figure bringing up trails of afterimages as he arrived first and blocked one person's path.

The Green Peak Sword was unsheathed, its blade glowing with a cold silver radiance (a weak enhancement from the spirit radiance stone), a move of the simplest straight thrust, yet faster than the Elder's reaction speed.

"Pfft!"

The sword tip pierced through his chest.

The other Elder looked back in horror, only to see Lin Yue already close like a shadow, his left palm swirling with pure spiritual power, slamming hard into the man's back.

"Bang!"

This Elder spat blood and fell forward, his Meridians mostly shattered.

Two Late Stage Qi Refining Elders, in front of Lin Yue—whose strength was comparable to a half-step Foundation Establishment and whose movement and Martial Skills had been repeatedly tempered by the Spiritual Qi of the plane—actually failed to last three breaths!

With their leader gone and Elders executed, the remaining Zhang Family disciples and guards, under the Foundation Establishment pressure and the efficient slaughter of the Lin Family Guard Team, saw their will to resist quickly collapse.

"Surrender! We surrender!"

"Stop killing! We are willing to surrender!"

Cries and pleas for mercy rang out in a chorus.

Lin Yue stood in the courtyard with his sword, the ground around him a mess of bloodstains.

His face showed neither joy nor sorrow, only a cold resoluteness.

To be kind to the enemy is to be cruel to the future of one's own clansmen.

If he was soft-hearted today, he would surely suffer backlash in the future.

"Count the battlefield, seize the supplies, and identify the prisoners. Those who resist shall be executed on the spot! Those who surrender shall be taken back for further disposal." Lin Yue issued the order, his voice brook no argument.

He turned his gaze toward the Li Family's direction; it was dead silent there, obviously completely deterred by the thunderous methods here.

"Lin Hu, take twenty men and follow me and the Grand Elder to the Li Family."

"Yes!"

The Li Family's main gate was tightly closed, with figures faintly visible behind it and the light of a Formation flickering weakly, clearly having activated all defenses.

However, when Lin Cang and Lin Yue led the team, still carrying their Evil Qi, to the gate, the door slowly opened from the inside.

Li Shan was alone, holding a wooden box in both hands, his face as pale as paper. He walked outside, bowed deeply to Lin Cang and Lin Yue, and held the wooden box above his head.

"The Li Family of Sunset Town is willing to submit the entire clan to the Lin Family, offering the clan's property ledgers, land deeds, and warehouse keys. I only ask... only ask Clan Leader Lin and Senior Lin to give the Li Family, young and old, a chance to live." Li Shan's voice trembled, full of despair and pleading.

He had "witnessed" with his own eyes how the Zhang Family was wiped out in an instant (actually sensing those terrifying combat fluctuations and Foundation Establishment pressure), and all his wishful thinking had vanished in the face of the absolute gap in strength.

Lin Yue and Lin Cang looked at each other.

Lin Yue stepped forward, took the wooden box, opened it for a brief inspection, and indeed, it contained the core property certificates of the Li Family.

He looked at the deathly pale Li Shan and said slowly: "The Li Family merging into the Lin Family requires breaking up and reorganizing, following the Lin Family's rules. All Cultivators must have a Restriction planted; if there is no disloyalty within three years, it can be removed. Can you make the decision for the Li Family?"

Li Shan's body trembled, his lips quivered, and he finally said dejectedly: "I can. The Li Family is willing to follow all arrangements."

The setting sun was as red as blood, staining the sky of Sunset Town. In just half a day, the pattern of the three major families that had occupied Sunset Town for decades was completely rewritten.

The Zhang Family had vanished into thin air, the Li Family had bowed their heads in submission, and only the Lin Family stood tall like the sun at noon.

Standing on the highest observation deck that originally belonged to the Li Family, Lin Yue looked down at the small town that had already changed hands. He didn't feel much wild joy of victory in his heart, only a heavy responsibility and a clearer understanding of the road ahead.

Strength is the only truth in this world.

"Issue the order," he calmly instructed Lin Hu behind him.

"Take over all Zhang Family properties and tally and integrate the Li Family assets. Post a notice to reassure the people; the order of Sunset Town will be taken over by my Lin Family. Additionally, send someone to the Black Stone Chamber of Commerce contact point to inform Manager Shi Feng that the spirit iron ore and specialty Spiritual Plants of Sunset Town will be exclusively supplied by my Lin Family from now on, and the price can be renegotiated."

"As you command!" Lin Hu's voice was loud, carrying high morale.

Lin Cang walked to Lin Yue's side and looked with him toward the crimson setting sun about to sink into the mountain ridge. In his old but rejuvenated eyes, there was emotion and even more expectation.

"Yue kid, this Sunset Town is our starting point. But the path of immortal cultivation is long and boundless. Black Stone City, and even beyond Black Stone City, that is the true stage."

Lin Yue nodded, his fingers unconsciously stroking that seemingly ordinary gray stone at his waist.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the distant horizon, looking at the spiritual fields that were constantly expanding in the plane, the gurgling spiritual springs, and the steadily producing mineral veins.

"I know, Grand Elder. This has only just begun."

The scroll of the Lin Family's era truly unfolded its first page at this moment.

And he would surely lead this Family to carve out an unprecedented path of rise in this magnificent world of immortal cultivation.