Longzang

Chapter 413 The Truth
Sun Chu aimed at the target through the gap in the hood fabric, then pulled the trigger of the crossbow and shot an arrow into the hind leg of the Liao horse.

The Liao horseman stood up, but his hind legs gave way and he fell heavily to the ground.

Sun Chu immediately rushed out from the mound of earth where she was hiding and killed the Liao soldiers who had fallen from their horses with a few strokes. She wiped the blood and dirt off her face and looked around. She saw a large group of Liao cavalry retreating, and cheers erupted on the battlefield.

Before she could recover from the fight, the captain found her, looked her up and down, and asked, "Are you injured?"

"no!"

"Very good, you're lucky! Now go back and pack your bags, head to Qingming. If you can manage to reach the Dao Foundation stage, you'll be on par with me when you come back."

Even after boarding the flying ship and looking at his five thousand fellow travelers, Sun Chu was still somewhat dazed.

She was originally an ordinary Dao soldier in the Taichu Palace. After years of fighting, she finally achieved the Great Perfection of Body Forging, but she never dared to hope for a Dao Foundation. Back then, the high-ranking cultivators of the Taichu Palace had already seen her innate talent and destiny and predicted that she would never have a chance to establish a Dao Foundation in this lifetime.

However, she had a father, brothers, and a large family of relatives to support, so as the most talented person in the family, she chose to become a Taoist soldier and went to the battlefield.

Fighting for the Taichu Palace not only provides a livelihood for one's family, but also secures an opportunity for future generations. If one dies on the battlefield, the compensation is generous enough to ensure the family's livelihood for life.

Several days later, the flying boat arrived at Qingming. Sun Chu disembarked with a group of Dao soldiers and was immediately taken to a mine to hone his Dao heart.

Sun Chu was still somewhat bewildered until someone shoved the tools into her hands. She couldn't understand how mining could temper her Dao heart, but years of fighting on the battlefield had instilled in her an absolute habit of obeying orders, so she took the tools and focused on mining.

As she dug, she began to sense that this mine was different from other mines.

The mine tunnels here were exceptionally wide, with meticulously constructed supporting structures. Foundation Establishment cultivators frequently patrolled the area, carefully recording everything. On one occasion, a Foundation Establishment cultivator stood behind Sun Chu for almost half an hour, continuously taking notes. Sun Chu even suspected that the cultivator had memorized how high he held his pickaxe and what route he followed as he dug.

There was no sun or moon underground, and after working continuously for five or six hours, she was so exhausted that her mind was becoming sluggish. At this moment, the bell rang, and another group of people came down into the well to replace Sun Chu and the other Taoist soldiers.

During the handover, Sun Chu noticed that these people were dressed quite luxuriously, with some of their clothes being so expensive that she couldn't even imagine them. These people were clearly wealthy and noble, and some might even come from powerful families.

Why do they also go down into the mine to mine? Is there some kind of magic in this mine, that mining for a long time can improve one's state of mind?
When she returned to the ground, she found that it was already dawn.

The soldiers were led to the mess hall, where food had already been prepared. After breakfast, cultivators led Sun Chu and the others to the adjacent barracks to rest. Every day, they had a full hour to sleep.

The barracks consisted of large, three-tiered communal sleeping quarters, with no separation between men and women. Before entering the barracks, cultivators performed a purification ritual on them, and then allowed them to rest. None of the soldiers complained; they slept fully clothed, as conditions on the battlefield were far more arduous than here.

The Qingming camp was at least rich in spiritual energy, and the food consisted of spiritual rice and vegetables. In contrast, people in the northern mountain gate could only eat spiritual food once every three to five days, so no one had anything to complain about.

Sun Chu was so exhausted that he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

She had just fallen asleep when she suddenly stood up and found herself in another world.

A cultivator approached with a list and asked, "Daosoldier Sun Chu?"

"it's me."

"Okay, come with me."

Soon Sun Chu was led to a large hall, which contained hundreds of tables and chairs, many of which were already occupied. Everyone was busy with their own tasks, and the entire hall was completely silent.

The cultivator led Sun Chu to an empty seat, told her to sit down, and then placed a stack of jade paper in front of her, asking her to copy information.

The distributed materials contained a variety of things, some historical records, others various medical texts, alchemical texts, and records of the properties of substances. Although she knew nothing about these materials, for some reason, she couldn't help but think while copying them, making the process exceptionally mentally taxing. A full hour passed, and she had only copied a small portion of the materials before she was awakened by the sound of a bell.

When Sun Chu opened her eyes, she realized she was indeed lying in the barracks, but the events of her dream were so vivid, it didn't seem like a dream. She had spent the entire time copying books, leaving her mentally exhausted, but physically she had definitely had enough sleep and her strength had returned to its peak.

The soldiers were all similar to her, full of physical strength but listless.

After getting up, the soldiers went down into the mine again and dug for another six hours, until they were exhausted. Then they ate and went back to their rooms to rest. Sun Chu was exhausted both physically and mentally, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

As soon as she closed her eyes, she was back in that magical world.

The cultivator from yesterday brought over a list, called her and several hundred other Dao soldiers, and led them to a quarry. He then taught her the mental cultivation techniques. He picked up a stone, rubbed it a few times, and it turned into a serrated flying sword.

"This is a sample. I've already told you the manufacturing method and all the data. Just follow the sample. Once you've made a qualified flying sword, put it on that shelf over there. Today, you'll have one hour to hone your character. Alright, let's begin!"

Sun Chu picked up a stone and tried to infuse it with the true essence of swordsmanship according to the cultivation method. She then adjusted its shape, but the resulting flying sword was crooked and uneven. She repeatedly revised it until, after an incense stick's time, she finally created her first acceptable flying sword. Her other Daoist companions were progressing at a similar pace.

Just then, the cultivator brought in another group of people, and Sun Chu recognized several of them as members of a large family who were also mining. They were also taught how to make flying swords and then joined the work.

Sun Chu gradually became more skilled, and by the time the bell rang, she had already made seven flying swords.

Sun Chu opened her eyes and found herself still lying in bed, the events of her dream seeming incredibly real. She struggled to sit up, and couldn't help but yawn; creating a flying sword in a dream was by no means easy.

The Qingming cultivators came in and woke everyone up. Then came the routine meal and mining. Days passed by like this, and before they knew it, a month had gone by.

Only then did someone bring Sun Chu and the others out of the mine, allowing them to bathe and change clothes in preparation for attempting to forge their Dao foundation.

Is it really starting already? But he hasn't prepared anything yet. Sun Chu was a little confused.

When she arrived at the training ground, Sun Chu met some other Dao soldiers who had come with her. After chatting with them, she learned that they had spent the past month in the spirit field honing their minds and experiencing the wonders of all things sprouting. While sleeping, they would go to a magical world to forge flying swords.

When everyone arrived and the foundation-building materials were distributed, Sun Chu suddenly realized that what he was going to forge was actually the flying sword he had been working on every night!

After familiarizing herself with the information, a mysterious power suddenly descended, and Sun Chu actually sensed her own Dao foundation! A moment later, all living beings vanished, and Sun Chu remained immersed in the miraculous feeling she had just experienced. In that instant, she forged six flying swords.

After activating sentient beings for two more moments, the foundation-building process officially begins.

Having worked day and night for the past month, Sun Chu had become extremely familiar with this flying sword and finally successfully forged his Dao foundation, which consisted of five flying swords.

After the foundation is forged, it's time to return to the northern mountain gate. Of the five thousand who came with the forged body, there will be one thousand more foundation-building cultivators on the return journey.

Although most people forge the most common flying sword as their Dao foundation, after being trained in how to use flying swords, Sun Chu already knew that this was a Dao foundation with strong practical combat capabilities, most suitable for battlefield conquest.

The airship slowly ascended, returning to the north. Sun Chu stood at the ship's railing, watching the magnificent kingdom below gradually shrink and eventually disappear. The past month had felt like a dream.

However, a question lingered in her heart, one she dared not confide in anyone. After all, the one who presided over the Azure Netherworld was the most outstanding disciple in the palace in nearly a hundred years, a peerless genius who had cultivated to the Dharma Form stage before the age of eighteen. How could she, a mere Dao soldier, dare to question him?

But that question lingered like a ghost, and she couldn't help but think: Was that month underground really about refining her mindset, or simply mining?

(End of this chapter)