The Mountain Bandits Return the Captives

"Bandits kidnapping people?"

The Shadow Guard frowned; he had truly never heard of this before.

"What story?"

Ye Zhan spoke slowly, "In ancient times, the young patriarch of a prominent family was traveling abroad. When he passed by a mountain, a newly arrived group of bandits saw his luxurious clothes and harbored evil intentions."

"So they captured him, took him up the mountain, and demanded that the young man write a letter home, asking his family to pay a ransom."

"To their surprise, the young man refused. He stated frankly that his family wouldn't pay a single cent."

"The bandits were puzzled. The young man was the young patriarch of a great family, and they weren't asking for much. Was the life of a young patriarch not even worth a little money?"

"But the young man continued."

"His family had a rule: no matter who was kidnapped by bandits, or subjected to any form of extortion, the family would not pay a single cent, regardless of how high that person's status was."

"Because if it happens once, it will happen a second time."

"And if a second time, a third."

"If one person from their family was kidnapped today and the family paid, then next time, more people would be kidnapped."

"To put an end to this."

"Their first patriarch established a rule: if any disciple of the clan is kidnapped, they will absolutely not accept any threats—even if it is the patriarch himself!"

"There is only fighting to the bitter end."

"Therefore, the young man declared that even if the bandits captured him, they wouldn't get a single coin. His clansmen would simply consider him dead, report it to the authorities, mobilize all their connections, and hunt the bandits down to the ends of the earth."

"The bandits looked at each other in dismay and ultimately had no choice but to let the young man go."

"And that first patriarch who established the rule..."

Ye Zhan puffed out his chest, his eyes full of pride. "...was the first patriarch of my Ye family."

"And my Ye family still upholds this rule."

"That is, we will not take a single step back!"

He looked at the Shadow Guard with an open and candid gaze. "Threatening me with anyone is useless. The worst that can happen is death. If I want to die, I don't believe you can stop me, and once I am dead, the token will never be unsealed."

"And you are nothing but a dog."

"If you fail your task and return, do you think your master will kill you? Or perhaps... torture your family?"

Ye Zhan stood up, his gaze disdainful and overbearing.

"Or do you also have the courage to disregard life and death, and test whether what I say is true or false?"

The Shadow Guard fell silent.

It was the first time in his life he had been called a dog, and by a mere Golden Core cultivator at that.

He was seething with anger but completely helpless.

He had to admit that this patriarch, who seemed to fear death and cling to life, possessed a terrifying level of resolve.

He didn't dare to gamble.

"Patriarch Ye, is it?"

"Good, very good!"

The Shadow Guard took a deep look at Ye Zhan. His figure flickered, completely dissipating into the pitch-black night.

Ye Zhan stood in place, his gaze looking out the window.

After an unknown amount of time, only when he confirmed that the Shadow Guard had truly left did he collapse into his chair, feeling his legs go weak.

Facing a Soul Formation expert head-on, and even calling him a dog.

The slightest misstep would have meant death.

But he smiled. "Ancestors of the Ye family, you all saw that, right? I, Ye Zhan, am no coward!"

Meanwhile, in Ye Shu's courtyard.

Inhale—exhale—

Accompanied by the sound of breathing exercises, the spiritual energy in Ye Shu's dantian was compressed to the extreme. It gradually transformed from a gaseous state into a liquid, flowing along his meridians like a trickling stream, weaving through his limbs and bones.

Ye Shu couldn't help but let out a groan.

The feeling of breaking through was exhilarating.

It was a tremor originating from the soul.

Indescribably wonderful.

After Foundation Establishment, there was a next step.

Ye Shu suddenly opened his eyes and struck the Male Mandarin Duck Sword in front of him with a palm strike.

Bang!

The sword blade that Lin Qingxue had painstakingly glued back together was shattered to pieces by him once again. Three hundred and sixty-one fragments flew up simultaneously, circling his body.

"Condense!"

Ye Shu shouted in a low voice.

All the fragments were drawn back into his dantian, then enveloped by the spiritual liquid, flowing along his meridians toward his major acupoints.

Even with the nourishment of the spiritual liquid, Ye Shu couldn't help but shudder all over.

It hurt, it hurt too much.

The sharp fragments sliced through his meridians, which were then rapidly repaired by the spiritual liquid, inching toward the acupoints bit by bit. This movement was happening simultaneously across three hundred and sixty-one acupoints.

That feeling!

It was as if hundreds of knives were subjecting him to the death of a thousand cuts all at once.

Ye Shu was in so much pain he almost ascended to the heavens.

He wished he could just pass out.

But he couldn't faint.

Once he fainted, the fragments would naturally follow his Qi circulation and run amok inside his body, who knows where they would end up. That would truly send him to the afterlife.

He gritted his teeth, guiding the fragments bit by bit.

Blood seeped from his pores, tracing the pathways of his circulating spiritual energy onto his snow-white inner garments.

Ye Xiaosu's small mouth parted slightly.

Watching her young master's miserable state, her eyes were filled with both heartache and self-blame.

If only she could cultivate too.

At least if she understood cultivation, she might be able to help the young master and lessen his pain, instead of just standing there watching helplessly like now, not even daring to touch him.

Time passed, minute by minute, second by second.

Ye Shu's inner garment had long been dyed completely in blood.

Finally, his eyes flashed, and he abruptly opened them. The acupoints all over his body responded, flickering with light.

"Have I... reached Foundation Establishment?"

Ye Shu looked at the remnants of spirit stones that had turned to dust around him, and then looked at the acupoints inside his body, half of which had not yet established a foundation.

He had reached Foundation Establishment, but it also felt like he hadn't.

Looking solely at his dantian, it seemed he had achieved Foundation Establishment.

But with a thought from Ye Shu, a certain acupoint on his body was instantly filled, leaving his dantian empty again. Judging from his external aura, he was no different from a Qi Condensation cultivator.

"When it's in the dantian, it's Foundation Establishment; when it's in the acupoints, it's Qi Condensation."

"It's like playing both sides."

Ye Shu muttered softly.

But regardless, he should have successfully reached Foundation Establishment.

Right at this moment, a pair of delicate little hands suddenly climbed gently onto his shoulders.

"Young Master~"

Ye Shu shuddered and whipped his head around.

He saw Ye Xiaosu resting her hands on his shoulders, blinking her large, watery eyes, and saying in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Now that you've finished your Foundation Establishment, let this servant help you change your clothes and go to bed..."

Hehe... She had originally thought the young master's Foundation Establishment would take at least one night, but she hadn't expected it to be so fast.

The thoughts that Ye Xiaosu had just suppressed became active once again.

She prepared to continue the great undertaking she had left unfinished earlier in the day.

However, Ye Shu suddenly pressed down on her hands and shook his head. "Since you're not asleep yet, then don't sleep."

Saying this, he handed the Purple Qi Foundation Establishment Pill to Xiaosu.

"This is the Purple Qi Foundation Establishment Pill. Even if you lack cultivation talent, you can use this to establish your foundation. Take it tonight and start cultivating, lest a long night brings unforeseen troubles."

"Young Master, you..."

Ye Xiaosu was speechless. Why didn't he say this earlier or later? Why did he have to say it right at this moment!

Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment!

Is cultivation really that important?

"What's wrong, are you not happy?" Seeing her expression, Ye Shu was a bit confused.

Holding the Foundation Establishment Pill, Ye Xiaosu wanted to cry but had no tears. "No, Xiaosu is very happy."

"So happy I could cry."

"As long as you're happy." Ye Shu patted her little head, then rolled out of bed and strode out the door.

"Young Master! Where are you going?"

Ye Xiaosu called out anxiously, completely baffled as to why he would head out in the dead of night.

Ye Shu left the room without so much as a backward glance, leaving behind only a single parting remark.

"The night is silent and still; tonight is the perfect time for a secret rendezvous~"