Jian Dan pulled out the black jade token from his sleeve pouch. Inside was a message from Jian Li, Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Junior Sister, I just received word from Purple Sky Sect. The spatial rift they're guarding has grown unstable and is about to close. The first team of cultivators they sent inside hasn't returned."
"Senior Brother, I'm already at Purple Sky Sect. Do they want every sect to send more people, or what?"
Inside Heavenly Sword Sect's Law Enforcement Hall, Jian Li didn't expect such a quick reply. When he read the content, the corner of his mouth curled up. "So, Junior Sister was already at Purple Sky Sect, only under the guise of Mo Yue."
"Because not just the first team but even their second team never came back, they've handed the decision over to the sects. If the sects want to send people, Purple Sky Sect won't stop them. But the rift's about to close, and there's a real chance of no return. Each sect has to decide for itself."
"Purple Sky Sect already lost a whole team of cultivators. Of course they don't want to shoulder the responsibility for others' lives. What does our sect mean to do?"
"Naturally, we'll send people. The candidates haven't been finalized yet, but I know you'll insist on going, so I already submitted your name. But can you get away cleanly from Heavenly Demon Palace?"
"Don't remind me. I've been slaving away for them, boosting their combat strength and defenses, only just now managed to slip free after finishing Mo Yan Zhēnzūn's orders."
Jian Li read the message and could already picture her unwilling expression.
"You ever consider that maybe Mo Yan Zhēnzūn wasn't even sure of your identity, just testing you back then?"
"I realized that after I admitted it. Still, I blame myself for not covering my tracks properly, letting them suspect something. I didn't want to make it worse, so I just owned up."
"In that case, stay at Purple Sky Sect for now. Once I finalize the candidates, I'll have them meet up with you."
"Alright. But make sure their cultivation's at least Void Refinement or higher. Back when Jian Jun Zūnzhǔ entered the rift, he was already late-stage Void Refinement, and he only managed to send out a sword token. Higher cultivation means a safer chance."
"I understand. Wait for my message."
"If I head into the rift with Heavenly Sword Sect's cultivators, I won't be able to watch over my three disciples. Senior Brother, I'll trouble you with that."
"Don't worry, I've already arranged for Zhengrong to check in on them now and then. You don't need to fret."
"Good."
After cutting off contact, Jian Li immediately told Qi Hua to issue an internal announcement through the Law Enforcement Hall, seeing if there were any volunteers. Once they had nine people, they'd set out for Purple Sky Sect.
Meanwhile, the three disciples Jian Dan was thinking about—Mao Dou, Zong Fan, and Xueru—were on East Peak.
Mao Dou and Zong Fan, along with Bai Bai, were anxiously watching over Wei Xueru, who was in the middle of Foundation Establishment.
Zong Fan had quick instincts. When he noticed the spiritual energy on East Peak fluctuating and the wind element thickening, he knew something was happening with his Junior Sister. He dragged Maodou along to check.
Sure enough, Xueru was cultivating like always, circulating Windcloud Art, completely unaware she'd already stepped into Foundation Establishment.
"Zong Fan, go get Senior Brother Wei. Someone strong has to guard her. The two of us aren't enough."
"Got it."
Zong Fan tossed out his flying sword and rushed toward the Law Enforcement Hall.
At that same time, Wei Zhengrong seemed to sense something too. He set down the jade slip in his hand and appeared at the Law Enforcement Hall's main doors. Just then, a guard came to report that Jian Lu Zūnshàng's second disciple was seeking an audience.
Wei Zhengrong instantly understood. He flashed to the base of the peak and saw Yu Zong Fan.
Zong Fan stayed composed, bowed, and said, "Wei Jūnshàng, Xueru's in the middle of Foundation Establishment."
"Then I'll come with you."
He grabbed Zong Fan and carried him in his escape light straight to Tianyue Peak.
Wei Xueru felt today's cultivation was unusually smooth. She barely needed to try, and green motes of wind spiritual energy rushed into her meridians. With each cycle of Windcloud Art, the energy completed a circulation and pooled in her dantian, which now felt like it was just shy of overflowing.
She happily kept drawing in more wind energy, cycling it and compressing it inside her dantian before starting the next round.
The "wind spirit" nestled in her wind root also sensed the endless energy surging forth. It leapt into her dantian, bounced around a few times, and reinforced the wind spiritual energy, compressing it tighter and opening more space. Even more motes flooded into her body with joy.
The little wind spirit came right out and circled around her, filtering the surrounding energy, making it purer before channeling it into her body. A vortex of spiritual energy formed around her.
When Wei Zhengrong arrived, that was the sight he saw. Lü Se stood beside Mao Dou, watching Xueru with a relaxed expression.
Noticing Wei Zhengrong, Lü Se bowed. "Wei Jūnshàng, everything's going smoothly. She's just building up strength."
"Thank you for keeping watch, Steward Lü."
"You're too polite. Xueru's diligent in cultivation. She shouldn't have trouble establishing her foundation."
Wei Zhengrong's divine sense swept over her and confirmed it. Spiritual energy had cocooned her, and she was already striking at the barrier to Foundation Establishment.
With a soft pop, the cocoon shuddered, then collapsed as spiritual power surged into her body even faster.
Thanks to her body-tempering, her meridians easily endured the torrent, even widened a little, helping accelerate her breakthrough.
Liquid spiritual energy gradually filled her expanded dantian. The wind spirit returned to its place in her wind root.
Wei Xueru opened her bright eyes and looked skyward. A small tribulation cloud had already formed. The first bolt of tribulation thunder came down in the next instant.
She panicked at first but quickly calmed, focusing inward. Her dantian was one-ninth full of spiritual liquid, exactly as her Master had demonstrated for Foundation Establishment. She was already past the threshold. All that remained was to withstand nine bolts of tribulation thunder.
Perfect chance to break through the second level of her body-tempering art. With that resolve, she didn't activate any defenses, using her body to endure the thunderbolts.
That made Wei Zhengrong's heart leap into his throat. This was Foundation Establishment. If anything went wrong, it could cripple her cultivation forever.
But Maodou and Zong Fan looked worried, not surprised.
"Mao Dou, Zong Fan, did you both take your tribulation bolts with your bare bodies too?"
"Yeah! It helps with body-tempering. Master said tribulation thunder's the key to breakthroughs because it tempers the body in the shortest time possible. It hurts, sure, but the results are worth it."
Even while watching over Xueru, Zong Fan answered patiently.
Maodou noticed Wei Zhengrong's worry and added, "Don't worry, Senior Brother Wei. We've been soaking in tempering baths for ages. It's to prepare for tribulation. And only after taking thunderbolts can the baths' effects fully unlock."
"Jian Lu Zūnshàng ordered that?"
"Yes!"
Wei Zhengrong felt his forehead twitch, but he couldn't say anything. All he could do was watch Wei Xueru as the final bolt of thunder came crashing down.