Chapter Fourteen: Foundation Establishment Assessment

Chen Yi conducted several tests and finally confirmed—it wasn’t the panel that discovered his cheating, but rather that the mangoes no longer contained the soft bone powder.

At least, Chen Yuan had eaten several mangoes without any unusual reaction and even praised him, saying, "Second brother, you've finally learned to share."

This both pained and puzzled Chen Yi.

According to his earlier speculation, that auntie would never have let him pass the Foundation Establishment assessment smoothly.

Now that she no longer gave him the soft bone powder, it must mean she had sensed that his constitution was unaffected, right?

“Could it be that my worst guess was actually correct?”

He thought of the worst possible outcome and privately grew even more wary of Zhou Wanyi.

For the following period, Chen Yi became much more cautious, refusing to step foot outside the Garden of Youth unless absolutely necessary.

Not only that, he specially sought out their swordsmanship instructor and obtained a wooden sword to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

Given his current mastery of the sword, even if his body wasn’t strong enough and his cultivation insufficient to fully support it, his experience and insight remained intact.

With the additional energy from the small jade sword on his wrist, he still had a fighting chance—better than doing nothing at all.

However, reality proved that Chen Yi had perhaps worried too much.

All the way until the year’s end, when the Foundation Establishment day drew near, he encountered no danger and no strangers approached the Garden of Youth.

This left him somewhat confused, even making him wonder if Zhou Wanyi had given up on targeting him.

“Well, it’s a good thing, no matter what.”

“If that auntie had kept pestering me, I’d have been troubled instead.”

Chen Yi looked at his equally three-year-old elder brother, Chen Yuan, and smiled inwardly.

He could still find other ways to gain points for a comeback, but the hard-earned bonds they had formed were not something he would easily give up.

Sigh, another day spent longing for those poisonous mangoes...

...

In the blink of an eye, the day of Foundation Establishment arrived.

Despite the bitter cold of the twelfth lunar month, the entire Wu’an Marquis Manor felt no chill—because today, the manor’s two young masters were to establish their foundations together.

Except for Chen Taiping, who was away from the manor, and the Wu’an army soldiers, everyone else, including the Chen family matriarch, gathered outside the Garden of Youth.

Even Zhou Wanyi, heavily pregnant, was brought here with the careful support of her maids.

“Wanyi, your condition is difficult—why don’t you go back and wait inside?” the elderly woman said, sitting upright in the grand master’s chair, holding a string of Bodhi beads. Her silver hair was neatly pinned, her aged yet peaceful face serene.

“Grandmother, your granddaughter-in-law is fine,” Zhou Wanyi replied, dressed in a well-tailored, loose cotton coat, her slightly rounded face adorned with a gentle smile, her demeanor more dignified and graceful than before.

“Make sure Chunlan takes good care of you,” the matriarch said, no longer insisting, simply signaling several maids to stay close to Zhou Wanyi.

She then turned to the somewhat nervous Xia Wanwan and smiled faintly. “Wanwan, don’t be overly anxious. Yuan’er and Yi’er are direct descendants of the Chen family; their martial talents certainly won’t be lacking.”

“Grandmother is right,” Xia Wanwan replied meekly, lowering her eyes.

She could sense the matriarch’s improved attitude toward her, yet she had no heart to rejoice at the moment.

Bloodline is bloodline; Foundation Establishment assessment is Foundation Establishment assessment.

Not to mention the Wu’an Marquis Chen family bloodline—even descendants of the Wei emperor sometimes fail the Foundation Establishment evaluation.

She only hoped Yi’er’s assessment would rank at least mid-level, so he could participate in next year’s Mid-Autumn examination at the Void Dao Sect.

Meanwhile, inside the Garden of Youth, Chen Taihang was no less anxious than those outside.

“Why did this task fall to me?” he muttered.

There were many in the manor with higher cultivation than him.

Not to mention Chen Taiping, a fourth-rank Spirit Aperture General; his uncles Chen Lixin and Chen Lide had been fifth-rank for years and had conducted many Foundation Establishment assessments for their descendants before—making them the most suitable.

Only he, Chen Taihang, was young, newly entered fifth-rank, and this was his first time conducting a Foundation Establishment assessment.

The key point being that his two nephews were the ones to be assessed...

If anything went wrong, he feared Chen Taiping would beat him to death.

“Second young master, the time’s getting late. Should we begin?” Ding Sansi, who was also involved in the assessment, asked.

He didn’t need to contact the young masters directly, only to guard around and prevent accidents.

Chen Taihang took a deep breath, stroked his beard, then straightened his expression and asked, “Is the quiet room ready?”

“Yes, Second Young Master, all prepared.”

“Separate Young Master Yuan and Young Master Yi so that even the loudest noise won’t disturb each other.”

Chen Taihang nodded, glanced around thoughtfully, then strode toward the left side chamber.

“Then let’s start with Yuan’er.”

Big nephew, don’t blame your second uncle for using you as practice first. After all, Yi’er’s talent has already been verified. Sorry to trouble you.

But rest assured, it’s your first Foundation Establishment too, and it’s my first time conducting one. Neither of us loses out!

“Ah!!!”

“Ouch, ouch ouch, Second Uncle…”

From the right chamber, Chen Yi heard a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered and his face darkened.

Is this the “quiet” that Ding Sansi spoke of?

Big brother’s wails were practically echoing throughout the entire manor—how is that not affecting anyone else?

Half an hour later, Chen Taihang emerged from the left chamber, drenched in sweat, and exhaled deeply.

“Second Young Master,” Ding Sansi approached and inquired, “Was it smooth?”

“Hmm.”

Chen Taihang smiled. Although the process was tortuous, it was indeed successful.

Not only did he manage to open Chen Yuan’s meridians, but he also refined some techniques, gaining confidence.

“Go inform the matriarch and the others—don’t let them worry.”

“Strike while the iron is hot; I’ll open Yi’er’s meridians now.”

Without waiting for the guards to respond, Chen Taihang pushed open the right chamber door.

“Been waiting long?”

“Not long. Sorry to trouble Second Uncle,” Chen Yi stood and bowed, forcing a natural smile.

“Yi’er, you must endure the pain just now.”

Chen Taihang looked at the obedient and sensible Chen Yi and chuckled, then without hesitation, took out a pill and handed it to him.

“Take this Nourishing Meridian Pill first, to prevent damage to your meridians.”

“Yes.”

Chen Yi looked at the pill, then at Chen Taihang, and took it into his mouth.

Second Uncle isn’t Zhou Wanyi; this pill clearly wouldn’t—

[Age thirty-two, your swordsmanship mastery is steadily improving but you were secretly sabotaged and ingested a “Fragmented Meridian Pill.”]

[Moderate poison absorbed; comeback points +5.]

???

Chen Yi’s eyes widened. Fragmented Meridian Pill?!

So, the auntie really hadn’t given up on attacking him after all.

Fine!

From soft bone powder to fragmented meridian pill—the familiar taste had returned!

“Sit cross-legged.”

Chen Taihang, unaware of Chen Yi’s unusual expression, stood behind him and, based on previous experience, advised:

“Endure it, and try to keep your body still.”

“Your nephew remembers.”

Chen Yi had no time to think further; the Foundation Establishment assessment was his top priority.

He just didn’t know whether missing a Nourishing Meridian Pill would cause any adverse effects on his body during the meridian opening...

“Hiss—”

So this is the slight pain Second Uncle mentioned?!

PS: A newbie here, hoping for your continued support and reading! Hopefully, this week will make the recommendations. Thank you, everyone!