Cultivation, Inc.I Use Capitalism to Fix a Dying Sect

Chapter 122: Foundation Establishment Cultivators Begin to Doubt Life

Although Zhang Yuan and the other 4 beta testers were only at the Grand Perfection of the Qi Refining stage, Sun Yi had invested heavily in their hardware optimization. He ensured a limitless supply of wind and thunder attribute demon cores.

As a result, they had all successfully cultivated the Wind Thunder Step, making their baseline speed stats far superior to ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

While Wang Han was still trapped in shock, Zhang Yuan had already closed the gap, slashing his blue longsword down with brute force.

True Qi from his Water Gate operated at max capacity. A three-meter-long beam of azure Sword Qi erupted from the Grade 2, Rank 5 Spirit Weapon in his grasp.

By the time Wang Han processed the threat, the azure blade was inches from his face. He frantically channeled his Daoist Arts, manifesting a Spirit Weapon shield to block the lethal blow.

Boom!

The azure shield was blown away like a leaf in a hurricane. Wang Han coughed up blood as the kinetic force launched him backward. He crashed heavily into the stone tiles 10 meters away, his aura instantly dimming to near extinction.

Zhang Yuan did not pursue; the combat data was clear. The outcome was absolute.

“Senior Brother Wang Han, I concede to your courtesy,” Zhang Yuan said, politely cupping his hands in the traditional manner.

Wang Han struggled to his feet, his face ashen. He looked at Zhang Yuan, his eyes hollow, and weakly cupped his hands. “I have lost.”

Zhang Yuan had effortlessly dismantled another early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. The disciples who witnessed the beatdown gasped in horror.

“How is Zhang Yuan’s combat strength so terrifying?”

“Heavens! He is clearly only at the Grand Perfection of the Qi Refining stage, yet he crushes Foundation Establishment Seniors! This defies the natural order!”

“The most incomprehensible part is that movement technique! That was the Wind Thunder Step—an Art strictly reserved for Foundation Establishment cultivators! His realm is clearly insufficient, so how did he cultivate it?”

“Could it really be the profound mystery of the Five Elements Art?”

“Forget my current path! I am switching to the Five Elements Art today!”

…

Greed and ambition swept through the plaza. Dozens of disciples felt an urge to reset their cultivation paths. The raw destructive power of the Five Elements Art was simply too tempting to ignore.

Hovering in the air, Sun Yi and the management team observed the data with satisfaction. Elder Jin Jue nodded with a light smile. “This Zhang Yuan is a fine piece of jade. His mastery of the Wind Thunder Step is Proficient, and his sword techniques are equally Proficient. His overall combat power easily eclipses ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.”

Beside him, Elder Qin Chu’s eyelids twitched. He knew the hidden truth behind Zhang Yuan’s sudden OP stats—it was all just piled up with resources. A classic pay-to-win model.

When normal disciples exhausted their True Qi practicing sword techniques, they had to sit in meditation and absorb ambient Spiritual Qi to recover, a process that wasted an agonizing amount of time.

Even using Low Grade Spirit Stones to restore their True Qi was a painfully slow bottleneck.

But Zhang Yuan and the beta testers were different. They burned through High Grade Spirit Stones for standard Qi regeneration! Furthermore, their modified bodies now contained five Dantians, meaning their total True Qi pool was vastly larger than that of an ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. With infinite Qi and higher energy caps, they could grind their sword skills endlessly. That was the secret to their rapid leveling.

Zhang Yuan and the others were burning through Sect resources at a scandalous rate, but since it was the Headmaster’s direct order, Qin Chu could only grit his teeth and turn a blind eye.

Seeing the results now, however, the return on investment was surprisingly acceptable.

Sun Yi analyzed the performance metrics and felt pleased. Zhang Yuan hadn’t slacked off during his offline grinding; his damage output had scaled massively.

“Continue the test,” Sun Yi ordered calmly.

Zhang Yuan nodded, his eyes scanning the crowd before locking onto another early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. “This Senior Brother, please advise.”

The chosen young cultivator took a deep breath and stepped into the ring. Any previous contempt he held for the Qi Refining Junior Brother had been thoroughly purged from his soul.

“I am He Jin. Please grant me your guidance, Junior Brother Zhang,” He Jin said, solemnly cupping his hands.

The next instant, a volcanic eruption of fire attribute True Qi exploded from the young man. A Grade 2 fire attribute flying sword shot from his storage pouch. Under his control, it transformed into a blazing streak of flame that screamed toward Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan didn’t dare drop his guard. True Qi inside his Fire Gate surged to maximum pressure. In a mirror image, a fire attribute flying sword shot from his own core, transforming into an identical streak of flame to intercept the attack.

Boom!

The two fiery swords collided, detonating into a localized inferno of pure fire attribute energy. He Jin’s blade was deflected, the impact shattering his concentration. Zhang Yuan instantly triggered his Wind Thunder Step, blurring into motion.

He Jin desperately engaged his own movement technique, trying to kite his opponent.

But Zhang Yuan’s Wind Thunder Step was simply superior code. In the blink of an eye, the distance was closed. Zhang Yuan’s hands blurred as he executed the Fire Sword Technique.

The spirit sword above his head flared with blinding heat. It instantly expanded into a colossal, 15-meter-long blade of roaring fire that cleaved down toward He Jin.

He Jin’s threat sensors screamed. Locked in place by the crushing pressure, he pushed his Dantian past its limits, pouring every drop of his True Qi into his own Art.

A firewall of sword light instantly manifested above his head, surging upward to clash with the descending doom.

The two fire-attributed attacks slammed together, showering the plaza in a monsoon of sparks. He Jin’s defensive construct lasted for exactly two breaths before it was completely pulverized.

The next moment, Zhang Yuan’s massive sword light crashed down like a divine tribulation, striking the stone plaza right in front of He Jin.

Boom!

The bedrock shattered. A deep, smoking trench was carved into the plaza before the eyes of the terrified crowd.

He Jin stared blankly at the smoking crater inches from his feet. He swallowed hard, a bitter taste in his mouth, and cupped his hands. “Junior Brother Zhang, you have won.”

“I concede to your courtesy,” Zhang Yuan replied, mirroring the gesture.

A suffocating silence fell over the Foundation Establishment cultivators. Zhang Yuan, a mere Qi Refining Grand Perfection junior, had just steamrolled three of their peers in a row. The power scaling was becoming absurd.

Zhang Yuan had effortlessly cycled through metal, water, and fire attribute sword techniques. Each strike hit with the force of a battering ram.

Was the Five Elements Art truly this broken?

The Foundation Establishment cultivators were plunged into deep contemplation. They were the Sect’s elite, boasting high natural aptitudes. Most had chosen single-attribute techniques for the fast cultivation speed and high burst damage. Only a minority had dared to touch the Five Elements Art.

Previously, they had dismissed the Art as a bloated, inefficient relic. Now, they were frantically recalculating its worth.

“Sufficient data collected. Zhang Yuan, step down. Zhao Lun, rotate in and execute your test,” Sun Yi stated slowly, preparing to swap out the active user.

“Headmaster! This disciple requests permission to challenge a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Senior Brother!”

Sun Yi blinked in surprise, then smiled, appreciating the user’s initiative. “Approved. Your request is granted.”

“What? He wants to challenge the mid-stage?”

“Impossible! He’s courting death!”

“Has he gone insane?!”

The plaza erupted in a frenzy of disbelief. Thousands of shocked gazes drilled into Zhang Yuan. Ignoring the peanut gallery, Zhang Yuan boldly pointed at a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator standing nearby.

“Senior Brother, please bestow your instruction.”

The mid-stage cultivator scowled, his pride stung. He strode into the arena, cupping his hands stiffly. “Very well. Prepare yourself.”

“Senior Brother, watch your back!” Zhang Yuan’s eyes flashed with predatory light. Pushing his internal servers to the absolute limit, he redlined the Five Elements Art. Instantly, five distinct flying swords erupted from his body, streaking toward his opponent like guided missiles.

“Heavens! He is controlling five flying swords simultaneously? What kind of monstrous soul power is this?”

“This is the profound mystery of the Five Elements Art! It enables parallel processing of five weapons!”

The mid-stage cultivator’s face contorted in alarm. He immediately deployed a fire attribute flying sword. With his True Qi burning at maximum output, a heavily reinforced barrier of light materialized in front of him.

An instant later, the five flying swords slammed into the barrier. The titanic impact caused the shield to shudder violently, rippling under the stress, yet the Foundation Establishment power held the line. The blades were repelled.

But Zhang Yuan wasn’t done. His hand seals shifted, executing a macro command. “Five Elements Unite!”

The five flying swords magnetically locked together high in the air, fusing into a single, massive blade of multi-colored light. With apocalyptic force, the composite blade slashed down.

The mid-stage cultivator’s barrier was instantly shredded like wet paper. The shockwave slammed into his chest, launching him through the air. He crashed into the dirt, coughing weakly, a jagged sword wound across his torso. Before he could even attempt to stand, the five flying swords hovered over his throat, humming with lethal intent.

“That’s enough. Zhang Yuan, recall. Zhao Lun, you’re up,” Sun Yi interjected, his system interface showing that Zhang Yuan’s Qi pool was completely drained.

“Yes, Headmaster!” Zhang Yuan retracted his swords and retreated. The disciples in the plaza remained frozen, their minds completely overwhelmed by the majesty of that final strike.

Beside Sun Yi, Zhao Lun excitedly dropped into the center of the arena, his own battle aura flaring up.

Having watched Zhang Yuan secure all the glory, Zhao Lun was desperate to showcase his own specs. His base stats were not inferior to Zhang Yuan’s in the slightest.

Zhang Yuan obediently returned to his position behind Sun Yi. His face was pale, his internal True Qi reserves running on fumes.

Meanwhile, Li Yu, Wei Xiao, and Zhou Yibo wore eager expressions, their eyes burning with the desire to crash the server themselves.

Zhao Lun quickly locked onto an early-stage Foundation Establishment opponent. The battle held zero suspense; Zhao Lun dismantled his target with clinical efficiency.

He then selected two more early-stage cultivators, crushing them back-to-back, demonstrating a level of combat prowess that left the audience numb.

After three consecutive victories, Sun Yi recalled Zhao Lun, strictly forbidding him from attempting the mid-stage boss fight. Then, Li Yu, Wei Xiao, and Zhou Yibo took the field in succession. Each selected three opponents. Without a single exception, they achieved total victory.

Over a dozen early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were utterly humiliated by the five Qi Refining Grand Perfection disciples. The sheer impossibility of the scenario made the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators begin to doubt life, plunging them into an existential crisis. But the final scene—Zhang Yuan one-shotting a mid-stage senior—ignited the hearts of the disciples. At this moment, every soul in the plaza truly understood the terrifying supremacy of the Five Elements Art.