Chapter Eight: Destroying the Foundation Stage with a Flick of the Finger

As soon as Wang Ran uttered those words, a hush fell over the scene. The three black-clad assassins, faced with the overwhelming presence of Wang Ran, could not help but feel an invisible pressure.

Wang Ran, however, remained calm, as though he were recounting a trivial matter, though in truth his heart was leaping with delight at the system’s notification. He had just gained twelve points of Dao Attainment! With that, he had finally gathered enough to unlock the next Daoist skill draw.

Elated, Wang Ran also grasped the pattern for acquiring Dao Attainment points quickly: a slight stir in an opponent’s heart yielded a single point; a moderate shock, two; and the greater the impact, the higher the reward. He surmised that the strength of the opponent also played a role—the stronger they were, the more points could be earned. This theory, however, required further confirmation, for the most formidable adversaries he had faced thus far were these three assassins before him, whose strength rivaled that of the inner disciples.

Indeed, none in the Hall of Enforcement were mere pushovers; all were chosen from among the inner disciples, and these three were at the very bottom of the hierarchy, each possessing the cultivation of the third level of Foundation Establishment. Their leader, Vermilion Bird, had even attained the fourth level, making him the highest among them, though his main focus was on spiritual cultivation rather than combat, excelling at observation but lacking battle experience.

Wang Ran’s words sent a ripple through the crowd. The two assassins exchanged glances and shouted, “Stop putting on airs! If you have the guts, come down here and see if we don’t cut you down!”

Standing atop the boulder, Wang Ran clasped his hands behind his back and replied with an air of indifference, “Noisy! Come up here first—I’ll give you three moves.”

Seeing Wang Ran so unfazed, the black-clad man swallowed hard, hesitating. “If you’ve got guts… you come down!”

Wang Ran remained unmoved. “Don’t accuse me of bullying the weak. You go first.”

The assassin sized him up with dismay. Big brother, you’re at the peak of Qi Condensation and you talk of bullying the weak? Who’s the strong one here? I’m at the third level of Foundation Establishment and I haven’t even spoken yet!

But the more Wang Ran acted thus, the more the assassin faltered. “Stop spouting nonsense—come down first!”

“Are you afraid?”

“Hmph, why would I fear a mere Qi Condensation cultivator?”

“Then why not come up?”

“Aren’t you too scared to come down?”

“Very well. Today I, Wang Ran, will give you a chance—three moves, and I won’t fight back.”

“How arrogant!”

“Not enough? I’ll even give you the use of both hands.”

“Damn you, you’re pushing me too far!”

After this exchange, the black-clad man was thoroughly enraged. With an angry bellow, he drew his sword. A flash of cold light split the air, but before he could make his move, Wang Ran acted first.

He leaped from his high perch, golden light blazing as the Vajra Glass Body technique surged through him. He crashed down on the assassin like a thunderbolt. Not only did he have the advantage of height, but he was also wielding an eight-star Daoist art—its power was unmatched. The assassin’s sword had barely cleared its sheath when Wang Ran, like an unstoppable force, collided with him head-on.

A sharp crack split the air. Mid-leap, the assassin spat a mouthful of blood, agony from shattered bones wracking his body. He plummeted like a meteor, striking the ground with bone-jarring force.

Dust billowed, shrouding them both. The crowd coughed, and as the haze settled, a gasp of disbelief spread through the onlookers.

A crater, webbed with cracks, marked where the man had fallen. His chest was caved in, the result of a massive blow. Blood streamed from his head, a ghastly sight.

Wang Ran crouched slightly, one hand gripping the assassin’s neck, lifting him like a helpless chick. The man was barely conscious, teetering on the edge of death.

The other two assassins gaped in shock. The one closest to Wang Ran stammered, “W-what did you do to my second brother?”

He trembled as he spoke, unable to fathom how Wang Ran, with only Qi Condensation at its peak, had incapacitated his Foundation Establishment companion with a single blow.

At the rear, Vermilion Bird was struck dumb, his mind reeling.

What is going on? Wasn’t he supposed to let us have three moves? Why attack so suddenly? We haven’t even made a single move yet! Where is the basic trust between people?

And weren’t you supposed to be at the peak of Qi Condensation? How can you be this strong??

“Ding! Congratulations to Host Wang Ran for causing a severe mental shock to the black-clad assassin. Awarded four Dao Attainment points!”

“Ding! Congratulations to Host Wang Ran for killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Awarded ten Dao Attainment points!”

As the two assassins still stood in stunned silence, Wang Ran was alerted by the system. He glanced at the man dangling in his grasp—indeed, the assassin was already dead, his breath extinguished without anyone noticing.

With the Vajra Glass Body unleashed, a single strike could kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator instantly!

Wang Ran was momentarily astonished by the power—no wonder it was a supreme combat technique from the Dou Qi realm, truly terrifying.

The other assassin, having witnessed all this, let out a furious roar. “You dare kill my second brother? I’ll kill you!”

He lunged with his sword at blinding speed, a streak of light aimed straight at Wang Ran.

Closer and closer!

Yet Wang Ran made no move to dodge, letting the blade thrust toward him. The assassin’s eyes gleamed—he seemed to see Wang Ran’s chest pierced in the next instant.

“Senior brother, look out!” his junior sister cried, desperately warning Wang Ran.

But Wang Ran stood motionless, watching the sword’s approach with unruffled calm.

“Hahaha! Fool! Arrogant to the extreme! This is a Grade Two spiritual weapon, the Cloud-Piercer Sword! Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator at level five would not dare take this hit head-on. You’re courting death!”

He drove the sword home with all his might.

“Is that so?” Wang Ran’s voice drifted lightly as the sword struck, but it failed to pierce his flesh, stopping at his skin, unable to penetrate.

“Impossible!!” the assassin shrieked in horror, disbelief etched across his face.

“Nothing is impossible.” Wang Ran’s tone was flat. He pressed two fingers together, catching the blade between them. With a slight squeeze, a crisp snap rang out—the grade two Cloud-Piercer Sword shattered to pieces.

The assassin was dumbfounded. Cold dread seized him; he turned to flee.

Far too strong—such power was beyond any Foundation Establishment cultivator!

He was certain now: Wang Ran had been hiding his true cultivation and was far more powerful than them.

“Trying to run?” Wang Ran snorted. He darted forward, seized the assassin’s head, and smashed it into the ground three times, gouging a pit with each impact.

The assassin twitched, then lay still—dead.

Now only Vermilion Bird remained, trembling in terror. In all his years in the Hall of Enforcement, he had never seen such brutality. He was paralyzed with fear.

He even regretted returning for revenge—had he simply endured, perhaps today’s disaster could have been avoided.

Wang Ran looked up and flashed him a smile.

But what should have been a sunny smile left a permanent scar on Vermilion Bird’s psyche. He forced a smile more dreadful than a grimace.

“Th-thank you for cleansing my house, senior. My second and third brothers were ignorant and offended you—they deserved their fate. Today’s end was of their own making!”

Wang Ran gave him a half-smile. “So, the one who died before was your fourth brother?”

“Yes, yes, they all deserved it. Senior, I have no knowledge of any of this!” Vermilion Bird pleaded for his life.

But Wang Ran’s face darkened, and he rebuked, “Nonsense! Yesterday you called him ‘big brother,’ and today he’s your ‘fourth brother.’ You’re not blood siblings at all. Speak—who are you really?”

At his words, Vermilion Bird’s face went deathly pale. His identity as an enforcer disciple could never be exposed, or he would have no place left in the sect. Seeing Wang Ran had seen through him, his first instinct was to flee.

Wang Ran was ready. The instant Vermilion Bird moved, Wang Ran seized his neck. “Who sent you? Who are you? If you don’t speak, I’ll send you to join your ‘brothers’!”

Vermilion Bird choked, his face turning purple. He gasped, “I’ll talk, I’ll talk, but you must promise to let me go.”

“Very well. I promise,” Wang Ran replied, loosening his grip.

Vermilion Bird fell to his knees, coughing violently. After a moment, he said, “It was an inner disciple… Senior Brother Ye Cang… paid a high price for your life… I’m with the Hall of Enforcement…”

Ye Cang?

It really was him!

A cold glint flashed in Wang Ran’s eyes. In the next instant, he struck with his palm, and Vermilion Bird died on the spot.

“Ding! Congratulations to Host Wang Ran for killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Awarded ten Dao Attainment points!”

“Ding! Congratulations to Host Wang Ran for killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Awarded ten Dao Attainment points!”

Ignoring the system notifications, Wang Ran gazed at the three corpses at his feet and sighed faintly.

Even after all these years in this world, after witnessing countless deaths, his feelings were still mixed.

In the world of cultivation, treachery and the law of the jungle reigned. Everyone sought immortality and the Great Dao, endangering all around them.

The sect was supposed to be a sanctuary for its disciples, yet even here, some abused their authority to murder their peers. Had Wang Ran not killed them, they would have killed him.

With a melancholy sigh, Wang Ran turned to deal with the bodies, expecting his junior sister to break down in tears. To his surprise, her eyes shone with even greater admiration.

Wang Ran paused, pondering. The young girl was at an age of rebellion—he wondered what the rebellious phase looked like for children in the cultivation world. Could it be that they relished such scenes of heroic slaughter?

At that, Wang Ran’s expression shifted to that of a lonely master. He leapt onto a purple bamboo stalk, gazed up at the moon, and murmured to himself, “Killing is a vice, yet it seems I cannot give it up…”