The training grounds.

Su Ye’s gaze shifted, and he swept the area with his Divine Sense.

He could sense the iron-armored man who had berated him for being late, a man who was radiating malice.

The torrential spiritual pressure erupting from him was like a pillar of fire shooting into the sky—boisterous and scorching!

His cultivation had impressively reached the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, bordering on Foundation Establishment Perfection.

He was the one with the highest cultivation level among everyone present!

However, as Su Ye’s Divine Sense swept over him, his perception pierced through the surface, and he was inwardly surprised.

’This man’s Magical Power fluctuations are powerful, yet they carry an almost imperceptible trace of fragility.’

’It seems... he has suffered a severe injury that damaged his foundation, and he has yet to fully recover?’

Su Ye glanced at him, then turned his head and asked, "And who might this be?"

Zhong Qi quickly advised, "Sir, this is Jian Ziheng... Mr. Jian..."

Jian Ziheng.

Upon hearing the name,

something stirred in Su Ye’s mind, and relevant information surfaced.

This Jian Ziheng was somewhat famous.

He was from the direct line of the Jian Family, one of the five great families of the Immortal City. In terms of status and aptitude, he was comparable to Sikong Xin and Deng Jinhai.

Logically, he should have also entered Canghai Mountain and become a Canghai True Inheritor.

However, for some reason,

this Jian Ziheng had failed to become a disciple. Canghai had not accepted him.

The Jian Family had sealed all information regarding the specific reasons, so the outside world remained unaware.

There were rumors.

They said it was because his personality was cruel and his conduct improper, which had earned Canghai’s displeasure?

Su Ye wasn’t interested in baseless rumors.

He was thinking about something else.

’According to the intelligence, Jian Ziheng had already been a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator a long time ago, but now...’

"Oh..." Su Ye seemed to have realized something.

’Did he attempt to break through the Crystalization bottleneck?’

Su Ye had speculated before that Weiyuan Immortal City must have tried to cultivate Crystalization-realm cultivators on more than one occasion.

However, the Crystalization bottleneck was difficult to overcome.

The only one who succeeded was ’Tianqiong’ Sikong Xin.

And this Jian Ziheng was, quite clearly, one of the failures.

This would also explain

why his cultivation had regressed and why there was a sense of fragility deep within his Magical Power fluctuations.

It was not surprising to suffer a backlash after failing to break through a major realm’s bottleneck.

’But... why does this person harbor such malice toward me?’

Su Ye found it strange, but he had no intention of showing weakness.

"Late?"

"Jian, please watch your words. The information I received stated that the assembly time is Chen Hour."

"Chen Hour has not yet passed, so how can you say I am late?"

Su Ye’s tone was calm and measured.

"Hmph, you’ve got a silver tongue!"

"All sixteen Foundation Establishment cultivators in the battalion are here. Everyone is waiting for you and you alone..."

"Do you think that’s appropriate?!"

"With such a lax and undisciplined attitude, do you even have any respect for Weiyuan Immortal City?"

"The Immortal City treats you with such generosity, and this is the attitude you show in return?!"

Jian Ziheng said coldly.

Hearing this, Su Ye raised an eyebrow. ’This guy just won’t quit, will he?’

His relationship with Weiyuan Immortal City was one of cooperation, not subordination.

Besides, what right did this man have to spout such nonsense at him?

He was abusing his authority.

Ridiculous!

What’s more, his words were filled with malicious intent!

He was brazenly trying to pit Su Ye against the other cultivators in the camp, even invoking a sense of greater good to try and intimidate him!

At these words, Su Ye’s eyes narrowed, a chilling glint appearing within them.

"What, you’re not convinced?" Jian Ziheng sneered.

He strode forward with the gait of a dragon and the prowl of a tiger, his heavy battle armor clashing with a ’CLANG CLANG’ sound!

This suit of armor likely weighed a thousand jin.

Jian Ziheng’s Body Refining realm was clearly not low!

BOOM!

A torrent of spiritual pressure surged forth.

Having been through a hundred battles, Jian Ziheng unleashed a ferocious Evil Qi, like that of clashing armies, and it howled toward Su Ye!

Seeing this, Bai Xiuying’s phoenix eyes widened in astonishment.

She sent a Divine Sense transmission, her voice urgent, "Jian... what are you doing?!"

"Mr. Su is a valued guest of the Immortal City! Stop it at once!"

Hearing Bai Xiuying’s transmission, Jian Ziheng’s expression darkened, and he explained,

"Miss Bai, I am also doing this for the good of the Immortal City!"

"The upcoming cleansing of the ’Reverse World’ is of grave importance, yet this man is so undisciplined and lawless!"

"If we let him be, and he disobeys orders and acts on his own during the cleansing..."

"...he will be a liability to the entire team... This is for the greater good!"

Jian Ziheng spoke with self-righteous, high-sounding words.

"But, you..." Bai Xiuying frowned, at a loss for words.

"Enough, Miss Bai... I know my limits! I’m just teaching him a lesson!"

Jian Ziheng said in a low voice.

He cut off the transmission, and his gaze on Su Ye grew even colder!

’What has this man ever done to deserve this? A mere Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet not only is he valued by the Immortal City... but even Miss Bai favors him so?’

’On what grounds...?’

Jian Ziheng’s eyes were sinister, and malicious thoughts surged in his heart like a tide.

As a high-ranking member of the Immortal City, he already knew about the agreement between Su Ye and the city.

He also knew that the man had been gifted a High-quality Chongyuan Elixir!

’A High-quality Chongyuan Elixir...’

At the thought of this elixir, certain long-forgotten voices seemed to echo in Jian Ziheng’s mind again.

"This is part of the Immortal City’s reserves; it cannot be used lightly..."

"Jian Ziheng, your foundation is unstable. You are overly ambitious, seeking a quick breakthrough with elixirs."

"This will not be good for your future path in cultivation."

Jian Ziheng had once pleaded repeatedly, trying to exchange for this High-quality Chongyuan Elixir.

But he had been mercilessly rejected by Canghai!

Arrogant and impatient for success, he had chosen to take a regular Chongyuan Elixir to attempt his breakthrough!

Jian Ziheng had succeeded, but he had also... failed!

After stepping into the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, he always felt that his own potential had been somewhat affected.

Using a breakthrough elixir, especially with an unstable foundation, did indeed have a chance of affecting a cultivator’s potential!

Only a high-quality elixir could negate this risk!

’If I had been able to obtain that High-quality Chongyuan Elixir back then... I wouldn’t have failed my breakthrough to the Crystalization realm and suffered this backlash...’

Jian Ziheng’s resentment ran deep.

Of course, he would never dare to resent Canghai, but that resentment wouldn’t just disappear into thin air...

Jian Ziheng took a deep breath, his gaze turning savage as he stared at Su Ye.

A spiritual pressure like an erupting wildfire surged violently.

And aside from Bai Xiuying, the other Foundation Establishment cultivators also, intentionally or not, released their own spiritual pressure.

The numerous streams of spiritual pressure converged, with Jian Ziheng’s at the forefront, forming what felt like an invisible mountain pressing down on Su Ye!

They wanted to force him to retreat and submit!

’This man is only at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment... No matter what, he can’t possibly contend with us...’

Jian Ziheng thought to himself.

But suddenly, his pupils constricted.

Before the howling, torrential spiritual pressure,

Su Ye let out a soft laugh. Not only did he not retreat, but with an air of casual indifference, he took a step forward!

BOOM!!!

An aura of Magical Power like a raging river, like a stormy tsunami, erupted in an instant!

"Late-stage Foundation Establishment?"

The eyes of everyone present filled with shock and awe.

"Mr. Su... he broke through to the late stage?"

A strange light shone in Bai Xiuying’s eyes as she gazed at Su Ye, murmuring in surprise to herself.