Volume One, Chapter 25: Putting on an Act for Me? Is This All Foundation Establishment Amounts To?

"Sister, how did you know Dongfang Jue had a secret technique she hadn't used yet? What kind of technique is it?"

"I guessed. I don't think someone of her caliber should be unable to defeat a mere two fierce beasts."

"Is Sister Dongfang really that powerful?"

"I suspect her strength is on par with yours, Sister Shiyao. Handling two beasts shouldn't be a problem for her."

Li Shiyao froze for a moment.

"Against one, I think I could manage, but if there were two, I’d probably have to run away too." Shiyao scratched her head, looking a bit embarrassed.

Ye Qinghan was stunned. That didn't seem right... "Are you saying you can't defeat the beasts either?"

Shiyao was baffled. *Does my sister really think I'm as strong as her?* "It's not that I can't defeat them; it's that I can't handle two at once."

Ye Qinghan found it hard to believe. Theoretically, the person who built this secret realm was looking for a successor; were even Shiyao and Dongfang Jue considered unqualified? "Aren't you both at the Foundation Establishment stage? Why can't you handle them?"

Ye Qinghan couldn't wrap her head around it. Why?

"Sister, although I hate to admit it, not every Foundation Establishment cultivator is as strong as you..." Li Shiyao picked at her fingers, looking aggrieved, as if she had been scolded.

Ye Qinghan couldn't help but recall Shangguan Rou; when facing her, she had used her immortal sword, and winning was a given. When facing Xu Zhanfeng, she used the Ling-Shuang Sword Technique, and finishing him off in an instant was no surprise either. However, Ye Qinghan realized she didn't actually know what the standard of strength for the Foundation Establishment stage was. Being by her master's side, she always felt weak, always preferring to play it safe. To think she had often accused her master of lacking common sense—was it actually she who lacked it?

"Are you saying that an average Foundation Establishment cultivator shouldn't be able to defeat these beasts?" Ye Qinghan asked, utterly bewildered. In her eyes, these beasts were as fragile as paper. If she wasn't careful and used too much force, they would just die.

"Not 'shouldn't,' but 'certainly.' Among Foundation Establishment disciples, I wouldn't say I'm the strongest, but I'm definitely very strong, and I can handle one at most."

"I don't believe you. Go fight one and show me!" Ye Qinghan felt that Li Shiyao was hiding her true ability and trying to trick her. She had only just reached the Foundation Establishment stage herself, and while her master’s "Invincible Technique" was powerful, the gap shouldn't be this massive, right?

"I'm not a fool. Why would I risk my life for some rare treasures? No way!"

Ye Qinghan had always assumed her strength came from the combination of the Ling-Shuang Sword Technique and her master's invincible cultivation method, not to mention the enhanced version of an innate treasure! With her master's gifts, she naturally didn't think much of ordinary geniuses.

But if she stripped away those external factors, she would still be stronger, but by this much? Ye Qinghan was confused. Was she truly that strong, or was she failing to perceive the true power of these beasts?

"Let me see what's going on here!" Ye Qinghan stood up slowly and drew the Ling-Shuang sword from her waist.

"Great Grandmother, be careful! These two beasts can adjust their cultivation level. If you enter, they will match your level!" Xu Zhanfeng said, deeply worried. If anything happened to this 'Great Grandmother,' the other one—though seemingly weaker—might be his only hope, but he didn't dare to gamble.

"They're just mindless beasts. Quiet." Ye Qinghan just wanted to see what a beast at her level of cultivation was actually like. She had never taken the beasts seriously, but she wasn't good at breaking the array.

"Great Grandmother, this formation was infused with immortal techniques by that fellow..."

"Can you open it?" Ye Qinghan tilted her head. Her beautiful face, usually intoxicating, was now as cold as frost.

"Uh... I am powerless to do so..."

"Then shut your mouth! I told you to be quiet!" Xu Zhanfeng covered his mouth immediately. This woman was temperamental; he didn't dare speak out of turn.

Ye Qinghan simply pulled out her "universal key"—the Ling-Shuang sword. In her mind, there was no door that couldn't be opened by this key. If there was, she just had to apply more force and try again!

The purple formation let out a loud *boom* under the strike of the Ling-Shuang sword. Ye Qinghan hadn't used much force; she was afraid of accidentally one-shotting the "puppies" inside—she still wanted to see what their strength was like!

Another *boom*, this time with more force. The formation began to crack, and the surrounding spells flickered. Ye Qinghan decided to be gentler with the next strike, and she tapped it so carefully that it made Xu Zhanfeng go numb just watching.

As the formation shattered into dust, Ye Qinghan walked in naturally.

"Sister Dongfang, are you about to give out?"

"Heh, I'm doing just fine."

"Beg me, and I'll save you. How about that?"

"In your dreams! Go suckle from your master!"

Ye Qinghan instantly blurred into motion, kicking Dongfang Jue out of the courtyard like a ragdoll. "Shiyao, keep an eye on her. Later, I'm going to chop off her feet and stuff them into her mouth!"

Dongfang Jue didn't need anyone to watch her; she was already severely injured, and after that kick, she passed out cold.

Ye Qinghan watched as the two beasts seemed to shrink, their cultivation appearing to drop, before they bared their fangs and lunged at her. *Ugh... they didn't look strong to begin with, and now they've shrunk? Do they look down on the first disciple of Ling-Shuang Hall?*

"Shiyao, is this right?"

"Sister, don't be afraid! I'll help you!"

"No, I mean, are you sure these are Foundation Establishment beasts?"

"That's right!"

No sooner had she spoken than Ye Qinghan made a mistake; she accidentally kicked one to death. Shiyao was now feeling insecure: "It is... Foundation Establishment... right?"

"Shiyao, you come try. You can't beat this thing?" Ye Qinghan felt the creature was less sturdy than the training dummies her master gave her; it felt like paper, shattering at the slightest touch.

"Sister, don't go too far. If I can't handle it, you have to save me!"

"Fine, fine. Go beat it up. Let me watch..."

Shiyao handed the unconscious Dongfang Jue to Xu Zhanfeng, swallowed hard, and walked into the treasure hall with a serious expression.

Ye Qinghan no longer questioned her own strength. She had come to terms with it: even a pig would become an immortal pig if it followed her master! Strength was inevitable! However, she was very curious about the size of the gap between herself and ordinary geniuses. If she had been doing this before, she might have learned something from the duels, but here in this secret realm, she was simply crushing everything!

Xu Zhanfeng at Nascent Soul stage? One sword strike! Shangguan Rou at Golden Core stage? One sword strike! Countless minions? One sword strike! How could she see any gap? It was impossible to tell! She just wanted to know how far behind she had left the common folk. If her strength were converted into the standard cultivation realms, what would it be?

Shiyao didn't waste any time. As soon as she stepped into the treasure hall, her expression turned stern. The long sword in her hand trembled slightly, as if sensing the call of a strong enemy, hungry for battle.

"Sacred Blood Liberation!"

Ye Qinghan nodded. *She's using her ultimate technique!*

"Yes, that's it!" Ye Qinghan’s eyes curved into crescents. *Hehe, this is the strength a Foundation Establishment cultivator should have! This is the flavor! I knew you were hiding an ultimate technique!*