Chapter 33: Preparation

Only Foundation Establishment true cultivators could physically fly, their terrifying presence ensuring an unprecedented silence over Yunxi County.

No Qi Refining cultivator dared challenge a Foundation Establishment master; those who had tried were now nothing more than corpses.

Following the county chief’s warning, order in Yunxi County returned to its normal state. However, no one knew how long this forcibly imposed tranquility would last. How could any cultivator be so reckless as to disrupt nodes of the city’s protective formation without realizing that Yunxi County was home to a Foundation Establishment powerhouse like the county chief?

That very night, Li Zhen remained in his cultivation chamber, absorbing the accumulated spiritual energy through practice. Instead of leaving immediately after finishing his session, he produced an Iron Thread Vine seed—one gifted by Mother Li herself.

As spirit farmers, both Father and Mother Li possessed numerous seeds from various spirit plants. Li Zhen had requested three Iron Thread Vine seeds from them earlier.

While Li Zhen had mastered several magical techniques, the most potent display of his talent lay with his Wood Spirit Root affinity. Thus, it made sense for him to specialize in wood-type magic when appearing in public.

Currently, he only knew one such technique: the Wrapping Technique—a single wood-based spell at his disposal.

The Wrapping Technique was a growth-based spell that required plant seeds as its foundation. Upon activation, these seeds rapidly matured into vines, entangling their target with swift precision.

Among all plants, spirit vines were most suitable for this technique. The Iron Thread Vine, renowned for its vine’s resilience akin to iron itself, posed a formidable challenge even to cultivators in the early stages of Qi Refining. Once ensnared by such a vine, escape proved nearly impossible.

Yunxi County’s current situation forced Li Zhen to exercise utmost caution. For other Qi Refining cultivators, spells could only be employed in premeditated combat scenarios. But he stood apart from them. With access to magical runes on the dragon heart space barrier, Li Zhen could cast certain spells instantaneously—a capability that transformed magic into one of his primary battle tools.

He drew upon three points of spiritual energy within him and activated the Wrapping Technique rune through his dragon heart space. A beam of green light pierced into the Iron Thread Vine seed clutched in his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, he released the seed. It hit the ground and instantly sprouted long, frenzied tendrils, securely binding a chair—the stand-in target—with unyielding strength.

A mystical connection now existed between Li Zhen and the fully grown Iron Thread Vine. He could manipulate both the direction and force exerted by the vine at will.

Naturally, this level of control over the spell was derived from the insights of the talisman maker who crafted the mid-grade ‘Wrapping Tether’—a mastery of the Wrapping Technique itself.

If Li Zhen were to start training from scratch, he could still cast the ‘Wrapping Technique,’ but achieving such precise manipulation would require considerable practice.

Li Zhen’s spell, and the iron thread vine swiftly retracted, transforming back into its seed form. He picked up the Iron Thread Vine seed; already, more than half of its vital energy had been depleted. At most, it might be used two more times before losing all vitality entirely.

The rapid growth of the ‘Wrapping Technique’ came at a cost: by consuming the seed’s vital energy, the plant achieved swift development within a short span of time.

Ordinarily, once a common seed is used, it loses its viability for further use. In contrast, spirit seeds can typically withstand multiple activations under normal circumstances.

In actual combat situations, however, things differed greatly. The struggle of targeted foes and their attempts to destroy the plant rendered any recovery or reuse of these activated spirit seeds impractical—even maintaining them long enough proved challenging.

Overall, Li Zhen remained highly satisfied with his casting prowess. Control spells like the ‘Wrapping Technique’ offered invaluable advantages whether facing enemies head-on or making an escape—a precious edge in either scenario.

Beyond the ‘Wrapping Technique,’ his primary combat method relied on swordsmanship—an essential skill honed through years of diligent practice.

To truly master even a basic sword technique at the minor achievement level, one couldn’t rely solely on practicing with a conventional blade.

The inferior first-rank longsword he had obtained from a Cataclysm Cultivator upon his kill had been successfully refined and named Xingrui E07 Type Longsword. Due to its low quality, there was no need to bind it to his identity bracelet—a measure typically taken for higher-quality artifacts.

He also possessed a Xingrui E12 Type Shield, acquired similarly from another Cataclysm Cultivator.

Though both the sword and shield were classified as inferior first-rank magical items, they were perfectly suited for someone of Li Zhen’s status.

In contrast, the Nine Heavens C045 Mid-Grade Flying Sword was entirely inappropriate for him. If he were to wield such an item publicly, it would immediately draw unwanted attention.

On Monday morning, Li Zhen entered the classroom with the Xingrui E07 Type Longsword hanging at his waist.

None of his classmates noticed that the weapon at his side was an inferior first-rank magical artifact; most hadn’t yet reached the point in their training where they’d encounter such items.

Li Zhen glanced briefly at Cheng He, who sat quietly in his seat. Since returning to school after recovering from his injuries, Cheng He had lost much of his former arrogance. His once-confident eyes now appeared hollow, as if his spirit had been broken by defeat.

Teacher Zhang had spoken with Cheng He multiple times, but the blow to his ego had been too severe. Only time could heal these wounds, allowing Cheng He to find his way back to confidence.

Li Zhen shook his head; Cheng He’s temperament was such that even if he managed to pull through this time, it would likely lead to more trouble down the line.

He returned to his seat. Yu Nan sat in front of him, while Han Wenqin occupied the spot on his right—both had actively sought Teacher Zhang’s help to rearrange their seating, forming a small trio within the class.

“What were you two discussing?” Li Zhen asked curiously upon noticing what seemed like an ongoing debate between Yu Nan and Han Wenqin as he took his place.

“We were talking about whether the Nine Heavens Group might auction off any Broken Vein Pills at their annual sale!” Yu Nan replied, turning towards Li Zhen.

“The Broken Vein Pill is still far too premature for us, isn’t it?” Li Zhen said with a shake of his head. His reasoning was based on typical cultivation progress rates. Even with family support, achieving the sixth level of Qi Refining by high school graduation—a mere five years away—would be no easy feat. Considering they were just starting out now, contemplating the Broken Vein Pill indeed seemed rather early.

“Among my elders and Yu Nan’s, there are quite a few who could benefit from a Broken Vein Pill,” Yu Nan explained.

“But what’s the point in speculating? The Nine Heavens Group hasn’t officially announced anything about auctioning a Broken Vein Pill,” Han Wenqin countered dismissively. “It’s probably just baseless rumors circulating.”

“No wave arises without wind,” Yu Nan persisted. “The Nine Heavens Group has remained silent all this time; who knows if they themselves weren’t behind these rumors!”

“The cultivator who released this information must have ulterior motives,” Han Wenqin said with concern. “Mentioning an auction for Foundation Establishment Pills—aren’t they trying to sow chaos in Yunxi?”

At that moment, Yu Nan noticed something new about Li Zhen. “Eh? Have you switched practice swords, Li Zhen?” he asked, his gaze shifting towards Han Wenqin as soon as he posed the question.

“It wasn’t from my clan!” Han Wenqin shook her head firmly.

Though Li Zhen had progressed rapidly, it was still too early for a prominent clan like the Hans to make significant investments. They preferred a gradual approach—a trickle over time—that fostered deeper gratitude in their chosen beneficiaries.

Dumping too much support at once could backfire by fueling ambition in the sponsored cultivator. If such investment were later reduced or withdrawn entirely, it might even lead to resentment and enmity. The art of patronage required careful consideration, an area where the four great clans held ample experience.

“My parents bought me this sword recently,” Li Zhen explained with a smile. “They thought some unrest might be brewing outside.”

“At least school is still safe!” Yu Nan remarked with a smile, seemingly unconcerned.

Indeed, the school was secure. Though it appeared to lack visible security measures at first glance, one must consider that within its walls were three junior high and three senior high cultivation classes. Alongside these students, there were the instructors of the cultivation program, as well as the principal, vice principals, and other administrative staff—all collectively forming a formidable force no one would dare ignore.

Teacher Zhang entered the classroom, her expression grave.

“Students,” she announced solemnly, “from today onwards, every school bus will have a teacher on board. You are required to use the school buses for both your commute to and from school.”

The students understood the implications behind this decision; such arrangements would only be made if the school itself sensed danger lurking nearby.

This move also reflected the school’s lack of confidence in the Security Bureau. In all their memories, had Yunxi County ever experienced such poor law enforcement before?

“Li Zhen,” Han Wenqin said softly, “I’ll make sure to remind Going Beyond Swordplay that after your training session ends, you must be escorted home by another cultivator.”

“No need for such trouble!” Li Zhen replied quietly.

“It applies not just to you, but Rong Honghui as well,” Han Wenqin continued.

The school had taken these measures for a reason; she wouldn’t risk anything happening to either Li Zhen or Rong Honghui due to her own oversight.

Throughout the subsequent classes, every teacher imparted additional life-saving tips during their lessons. Their aim was clear: should any student encounter danger, they would have one more chance at survival.

School could not simply shut down—without explicit orders from the county magistrate, at least. This decision bore heavily on Yunxi County’s reputation.

In the cultivator class, tension hung heavy in the air among the students. In contrast, those in the ordinary classes remained oblivious to the unfolding events, carrying on with their usual laughter and banter, unaware of the storm brewing beyond their world.