2nd Stage Foundation Building

"Monster expedition, huh?" Khoru thought about going on the expedition as well, since he did indeed need to get stronger before the competition arrived. He just couldn't shake the feeling that Jin Xiang knew something that he didn't.

He never saw her visit the Ghostly Blade family during his 12 years of life, at all.

So how did she knew there was an upcoming competition within the family?

Khoru didn't ponder on it for too long and went back to the courtyard after informing Xin Xuan.

"Mother, I'm going in the courtyard to cultivate." He shouted.

"Alright, be alert!" She responded back. She was in the kitchen making food.

Khoru went to the courtyard and sat in the lotus position again, ready to cultivate.

When he started to circulate his Spirit Qi normally, not according to the information of any techniques, he noticed something strange. He thought that it'd atleast take him a few days to reach the first stage of the foundation building realm.

Suprisingly, he felt another lock in his body that was closer than he expected.

"This isn't right... Why am I so close to breaking through already?" Khoru kept circulating his Spirit Qi and sensed that he was getting closer and closer to breaking through to the next stage...

- - 3 Hours Later - -

BOOM-

Khoru's body was blessed with an intense warmth upon breaking through to the next stage. He immediately opened his eyes and was surprised at the amount of strength that he received in return.

'This definitely isn't right... It feels like I've broken through a stage higher than the first stage of foundation building... Wait.' Khoru suddenly had a wild thought.

Did he break through to the 2nd stage of the foundation building realm?

But then...he'd have to have already been in the 1st stage of the foundation building realm...

!

Khoru instantly got up and ran into his house.

He had already inspected himself and realized he was at the 2nd stage of the foundation building realm, but he refused to believe it until his mother gave him the same answer.

"Mother, inspect my cultivation realm please!" Khoru asked eagerly. Xin Xuan looked at him strangely for a moment before expending her Spirit Qi to cover Khoru's body.

"You're at the 2nd realm of the foundation building realm, good job! Have you been secretly cultivating earlier?" Xin Xuan inquired.

Khoru couldn't tell what realm his mother was at because he couldn't observe it.

Khoru smiled cheekily before leaving home again, he then headed towards the Water Lily Pavilion.

Once he reached the Water Lily Pavilion, he saw Jin Xiang standing near the entrance as if she was waiting for him. Her fan fluttered quickly and before he could get to the entrance, she had already approached him.

"You made the correct choice in following our team on the expedition." Jin Xiang said with narrowed eyes. Her fan covered her mouth so all that could be seen was her eyes.

Khoru didn't respond too quickly.

"Where do I go to join the party?" He asked.

"Follow me." Jin Xiang responded while waving her fan. She then turned around and walked into the pavilion. Khoru followed after her and they both went to the second floor, and then the third, where they met a group of cultivators.

"Who's this?" One of the cultivators, a man, said. He had a big greatsword on his back that glistened with a cold steel tint. His eyes were firm and he had a scar on his cheek that looked rather deep.

He looked as if he had been through numerous battles...

Before Khoru could introduce himself, Jin Xiang spoke.

"Everyone, this is the last member of your party that I was telling you about, Khoru. The bastard child of the Ghostly Blade family."

Jin Xiang's words caused the expressions of the people there to change. Some of them previously had irritated expressions, but when they heard Jin Xiang's words, they became surprised.

That surprise only turned into suspicion, which then turned into annoyance.

Why was the bastard child of the Ghostly Blade family here?

Isn't he only 12 or 13?

He'll just slow us down...

Their thoughts could be seen on their faces and it was pretty obvious that they didn't like the idea of Khoru joining them on their monster expedition.

Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do to change the situation since they were all there for certain reasons.

Jin Xiang's expression didn't change, all she said was, "Whether you like or not, Khoru will be joining your party. Don't get ahead of yourselves, remember, you work for the Water Lily Pavilion, and whatever I say goes."

Her words plastered solemn expressions onto the faces of those cultivators.

It was only about 4 of them, so really they had no chance or ground to complain.

"You'll be exploring the nearby forest, the Nighteye forest." She said.

"Yes, mistress!" Everyone, except Khoru, answered with firm tones, their expressions changed. They all accepted the fact that Khoru would be on their team.

"You will set out today." Jin Xiang said; her eyes narrowed again.

Everyone's expressions changed but they remained silent.

- - 2 Hours Later - -

Everyone suited up and got their necessary equipment. After that, they bought a carriage that was heading for a nearby city that crossed by the Nighteye forest.

'I wonder what the Nighteye forest looks like. I've never been outside of Yellow Apple town before...' Khoru was anticipating the adventure that he'd go on. His primary goal though was to kill some magical beasts and retrieve their magic cores that he could sell.

That would also help him get used to his strength and learn to control it better. Plus, he'd even get the chance to use his sword-arts on magical beasts and see how strong it truly is...

After around an our, the sky began to dim and the carriage had reached a deserted path with a forest on both sides. There were black and purple thorns that curled malevolently into spirals and the aura the forest gave off was menacing.

Khoru immediately knew that they had made it to Nighteye forest!