Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill, Tieniu's Foundation Establishment
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Qingping Teahouse.
Chen Jianghe ordered a pot of spirit tea worth fifty spirit sand and got a private room on the second floor, his gaze fixed on Ruan Tieniu's empty sleeve.
And on the Youth Retaining Grass that Ruan Tieniu held in his right hand.
He had seen Youth Retaining Grass once before, so he recognized it instantly.
"This is the Youth Retaining Grass, the puppet inheritance, and the demonic cultivation secret arts." Ruan Tieniu took out the jade slip.
He had gathered all three treasures Chen Jianghe needed.
Chen Jianghe took a deep breath, his eyes tracing the claw marks on Ruan Tieniu's face, so deep they revealed the cheekbone, and the fang hole that pierced his forehead.
He couldn't imagine what kind of dangers Ruan Tieniu had faced in the Youxian Mountain Range.
He admired Ruan Tieniu's unwavering determination to reach Foundation Establishment.
"Brother Ruan, your injuries?"
Chen Jianghe asked.
A damaged physical body and the loss of blood and qi would affect the success rate of breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
In other words, he was very likely to fail.
Ruan Tieniu had already perfected his physical body and should have now perfected his spirit as well. All he lacked was a Foundation Establishment Pill.
But the injuries on his body made failure a significant possibility.
"Sooner or later, Brother Chen, you'll learn about those two demonic secret arts, so I won't hide them."
"One is the Blood Escape Art, and the other is the Severed Limb Regeneration Art."
"This arm of mine can grow back, but the fang hole in my forehead is hard to heal. It will have an impact, but it doesn't matter. This is my second attempt at Foundation Establishment; my hopes weren't high to begin with."
As Ruan Tieniu said this, a trace of helplessness appeared on his resolute face. He was running out of time.
He could regenerate his lost left arm, but he had no time to search for a miraculous pill to repair his forehead bone.
Things had come to this.
He had to attempt the breakthrough to Foundation Establishment no matter what. Whether he lived or died, he had to take the chance.
Hearing Ruan Tieniu's words, Chen Jianghe felt a sense of clarity.
He didn't doubt the power of the demonic secret arts.
Because the power of these two demonic secret arts had been vividly demonstrated by Lan Tianxiang.
Lan Tianxiang had regenerated his limbs more than once.
The basis of the Blood Escape Art was to sever a limb to cast it, but Lan Tianxiang had severed all four of his limbs and even damaged his soul.
That was why Ruan Tieniu was able to take advantage of the situation.
However, Chen Jianghe guessed that the Severed Limb Regeneration Art must have some kind of limitation. Otherwise, with both the Blood Escape Art and the Severed Limb Regeneration Art, one could use the Blood Escape Art an unlimited number of times.
"Brother Ruan, how long does it take to regenerate a limb?" Chen Jianghe asked.
"Half a month."
"I see. In that case, how about we make the trade in half a month, Brother Ruan?"
"Half a month? Could you give me the low-quality Foundation Establishment Pill first?"
Ruan Tieniu only cared about the Foundation Establishment Pill now. It was his last hope; everything he did was for it.
Only by holding the Foundation Establishment Pill in his hand could he feel at ease.
"I can give you the Illusion Heart Grass first."
After speaking, Ruan Tieniu took out the Illusion Heart Grass and handed it to Chen Jianghe, along with the Youth Retaining Grass, the demonic secret arts, and the puppet inheritance.
From Ruan Tieniu's perspective, it wasn't that Chen Jianghe was unwilling to trade.
It was likely that he didn't have enough spirit stones on hand to purchase the Illusion Heart Grass.
The Illusion Heart Grass was quite valuable. At auction, it usually sold for around twelve hundred spirit stones.
After deducting the one-tenth commission fee, one would still get around eleven hundred spirit stones.
It was very precious.
But Ruan Tieniu only wanted the Foundation Establishment Pill; he could give up the Illusion Heart Grass for now.
If he succeeded in Foundation Establishment, he would have everything.
And if he failed?
He had already failed once. If he failed again, even the Foundation Establishment Pill might not be able to save his life.
If he might not even be alive, what use was the Illusion Heart Grass?
"This? Alright, here is the Foundation Establishment Pill."
Chen Jianghe was a bit stunned to see Ruan Tieniu take out even the Illusion Heart Grass.
He was indeed short on spirit stones.
The price Ruan Tieniu had quoted him for the Illusion Heart Grass was one thousand spirit stones, but he currently only had eight hundred and fifty-seven spirit stones and ten spirit sand.
He had planned to sell some of the mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans he had at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion while Ruan Tieniu was recuperating.
He would gather the thousand spirit stones to buy the Illusion Heart Grass then.
He hadn't expected Ruan Tieniu to just give it to him first.
He wasn't afraid at all that he would run off with the Illusion Heart Grass.
He put away the Illusion Heart Grass, Youth Retaining Grass, demonic secret arts, and puppet inheritance, then handed the Foundation Establishment Pill to Ruan Tieniu.
Having received the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The tense expression on Ruan Tieniu's face finally relaxed, causing the three-inch-long gash to split open, revealing the white bone beneath.
"Brother Chen, I'll take my leave now."
Ruan Tieniu was pressed for time. He couldn't afford to waste a single moment. Once his left arm grew back, he needed to immediately attempt his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.
"Alright."
Chen Jianghe watched Ruan Tieniu leave.
He didn't linger at the Qingping Teahouse either, storing the untouched spirit tea in his storage bag to savor later.
After leaving the Qingping Teahouse, Chen Jianghe headed towards Fushou Lane.
He had the Youth Retaining Grass. All that was left was to refine the Youth Retaining Pill and trade it with that proud female weapon refiner for the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit.
Arriving at Fushou Lane.
Chen Jianghe knocked on Alchemist Zhuang's door knocker.
Before long, Alchemist Zhuang came out.
"Fellow Daoist, you carry a heavy scent of blood," Alchemist Zhuang said, his nose twitching and his brows furrowing.
"I just met with Fellow Daoist Ruan, so naturally, the scent of blood is a bit strong."
Chen Jianghe walked into the courtyard with Alchemist Zhuang.
"Ruan Tieniu?"
Alchemist Zhuang said quizzically, "I haven't seen him this year, nor has he come to buy spirit pills. Could it be that he found a cheaper source?"
"Heh, where could one find a friendship price better than yours, Fellow Daoist," Chen Jianghe said with a chuckle.
It was also an indirect way of thanking Alchemist Zhuang for giving him face.
But he knew exactly why Ruan Tieniu hadn't come to buy spirit pills this year.
Ruan Tieniu hadn't been in Qinghe Market City. He had first gone to the Immortal Gate Market City, and then to the Zhou Clan.
Without leading a team deep into the Youxian Mountain Range, he certainly wouldn't need spirit pills in large quantities.
Buying a few on the Zhou Clan's territory or at the Immortal Gate Market City would suffice.
"Let's not talk about Fellow Daoist Ruan. I came today to ask you to refine a pill for me," Chen Jianghe said, cupping his hands.
"Oh? What pill would you like to refine, Fellow Daoist?"
Alchemist Zhuang smiled, the wrinkles on his face trembling. In his view, he should help Chen Jianghe as much as he could now.
In the future, given Chen Jianghe's loyal and righteous character, he could look after his granddaughter and disciple for a few more years.
"As long as it's a spirit pill I can refine, you can rest assured, Fellow Daoist. Uh... special spirit pills require a recipe, otherwise, I can't do anything either, haha..."
Alchemist Zhuang laughed heartily, not treating Chen Jianghe as an outsider at all.
"Rest assured, it's not a special spirit pill. You should be quite confident in refining this one, Fellow Daoist."
Chen Jianghe smiled and took out the Youth Retaining Grass.
At that moment, Alchemist Zhuang was stunned, his incredulous gaze fixed on the Youth Retaining Grass.
"You really managed to get the Youth Retaining Grass, Fellow Daoist?"
In Alchemist Zhuang's eyes, this stalk of Youth Retaining Grass must have also been obtained from Gao Peiyao by Chen Jianghe.
This made him ponder more deeply about the relationship between Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao.
"You are impressive, Fellow Daoist!"
Alchemist Zhuang gave Chen Jianghe a thumbs-up, then said with conviction, "I can definitely succeed in refining the Youth Retaining Pill."
"And rest assured, Fellow Daoist, you will certainly be able to trade for the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit. I can guarantee it."
Alchemist Zhuang gave a mysterious smile, offering Chen Jianghe his assurance.
"Do you have a connection with that weapon refiner, Fellow Daoist?" Chen Jianghe asked, puzzled.
If there was no connection, how could Alchemist Zhuang be so certain he could get the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit?
She was a second-rank weapon refiner; she had plenty of channels to acquire a Youth Retaining Pill.
Moreover, she was a second-rank weapon refiner at the Foundation Establishment realm. Even the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would likely try to curry favor with her.
"Haha... you'll find out when the time comes, Fellow Daoist."
Alchemist Zhuang was being deliberately mysterious and didn't elaborate.
"I have some of the materials for refining the Youth Retaining Pill on hand. The rest can be purchased here in Qinghe Market City."
"You can wait here for a while, Fellow Daoist. I'll be right back."
"Wait a moment, Fellow Daoist."
Chen Jianghe stopped Alchemist Zhuang, who was about to leave. His eyes flickered, as if he was hesitating about something.
"Is there something else, Fellow Daoist? You can speak freely between us." Alchemist Zhuang said frankly upon seeing Chen Jianghe's hesitant expression.
"Fellow Daoist, can you refine a spirit pill that can repair the forehead bone?"
"The forehead bone?"
"Yes, a demonic beast bit a fang hole into it."
"To have a fang hole bitten into you and still escape the beast's mouth!" Alchemist Zhuang was taken aback.
"Heh, I suppose it was a stroke of luck."
"The Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill can repair the physical body. It's a second-rank mid-grade spirit pill. I can refine it, but I don't have the recipe."
Alchemist Zhuang pondered for a moment, then said, "I can help you buy a Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill, Fellow Daoist."
"How many spirit stones?"
Chen Jianghe asked.
Hearing that it was a second-rank mid-grade spirit pill, and a healing one at that, Chen Jianghe knew it wouldn't be cheap.
He didn't have many spirit stones on him.
And he still needed to purchase a spiritual cultivation art.
"The Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill has miraculous effects. While it can't regenerate a severed limb, it comes close. If you're missing a hand or a foot, taking one can still make it grow back."
"The price is steep, one thousand two hundred spirit stones."
"However, you don't need to provide the spirit stones, Fellow Daoist."
Alchemist Zhuang chuckled and pointed at the Youth Retaining Grass in his hand.
Chen Jianghe naturally understood Alchemist Zhuang's meaning and said with a soft laugh, "Then two of the Youth Retaining Pills will be gifts for Xinyan and Ruxu."
"Haha, then please wait here, Fellow Daoist. I'll be right back."
Alchemist Zhuang let out a loud laugh and left the courtyard.
Chen Jianghe also revealed a smile.
Giving two Youth Retaining Pills to Alchemist Zhuang was no loss for him; in fact, it was a great gain.
Not to mention the various favors Alchemist Zhuang had given him before, the immediate benefits alone surpassed the value of the Youth Retaining Pills.
A single Youth Retaining Pill could fetch a minimum price of fifteen hundred spirit stones at auction.
But that was at an auction.
Gao Peiyao wasn't in Qinghe Market City, and he didn't know any other disciples of the Tiannan Sect, so he definitely couldn't put it up for auction at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
As for Chen Ping? He wasn't influential enough to break the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's rule against individuals auctioning Youth Retaining Pills and Life Extension Pills.
Therefore, if sold privately, a Youth Retaining Pill would only fetch slightly more than its market price of six hundred spirit stones.
You couldn't just grab a female cultivator and ask if she wanted a Youth Retaining Pill. Doing so would not only fail to sell the pill.
It would also expose that you were selling them privately.
For a resource so strictly monopolized and controlled by the Tiannan Sect, if you were discovered selling it privately, your fate would be worse than that of a demonic cultivator.
The value of two Youth Retaining Pills, traded privately between acquaintances, would be less than two thousand spirit stones.
But the Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill that Alchemist Zhuang was helping him buy was worth twelve hundred spirit stones for just one.
Furthermore, Chen Jianghe didn't even have to buy the supplementary ingredients for refining the Youth Retaining Pills.
That saved another two hundred spirit stones.
That added up to fourteen hundred spirit stones.
Moreover, Alchemist Zhuang was a second-rank alchemist. Outsiders had to spend a lot of spirit stones to have him refine pills.
Even for refining a Youth Retaining Pill or a Life Extension Pill, the fee to start the furnace was five hundred spirit stones.
Or they would have to leave one pill behind.
This was the market price for hiring a second-rank alchemist.
Depending on the spirit pill being refined, the price for hiring a second-rank alchemist varied.
Especially for the Foundation Establishment Pill.
To have a second-rank alchemist help refine one, the cost was either one Foundation Establishment Pill or two thousand spirit stones.
Yet, Alchemist Zhuang was helping Chen Jianghe for free, without any charge.
The immediate benefits alone added up to nearly four thousand spirit stones, and all he had given were two Youth Retaining Pills that he couldn't even auction.
It was safe to say he had made a huge profit.
After waiting for four hours, Chen Jianghe hadn't had a single sip of fine spirit tea.
It made him feel it was better to visit when Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan weren't in seclusion. At least then, the juniors would serve him tea.
"I've kept you waiting, Fellow Daoist."
Alchemist Zhuang returned to the courtyard with a broad smile, handing a jade box to Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe took it and opened it.
Inside was a cyan pill the size of a quail's egg, exuding a vibrant aura of life and emitting a faint halo.
A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out, refreshing the mind and heart.
"A second-rank healing spirit pill. Truly extraordinary," Chen Jianghe remarked with a sigh.
"Fellow Daoist, you can go ahead and refine the Youth Retaining Pills. I will come back tomorrow."
Chen Jianghe put away the Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill and then took his leave.
He was just sitting here idly anyway. It was more convenient to return to his own small courtyard, especially since Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan were in seclusion.
There was no one to serve tea.
Back home, he could at least enjoy the bitter tea he brought from the Qingping Teahouse.
He returned to Qingping Lane.
Chen Jianghe first glanced at Courtyard 514 and saw that the sign hanging there actually read 'Out'.
This made him frown.
Ruan Tieniu should be cultivating the demonic secret art right now, regenerating his limb. Why was he still out and about?
Could it be that he had gone directly to the breakthrough location in the Southeast District?
That was a possibility. After all, a place with dense spiritual qi would shorten the time needed to perform the Severed Limb Regeneration Art.
Just as Chen Jianghe was lost in thought.
Ruan Tieniu's figure appeared at the entrance of Qingping Lane, walking towards his home with a look of helplessness, sighing to himself.
But the resolute look in his eyes had not wavered in the slightest.
"Brother Chen, were you looking for me?"
Ruan Tieniu saw that Chen Jianghe was standing at Courtyard 513, clearly looking towards his gate.
Chen Jianghe nodded. He didn't ask what Ruan Tieniu was doing out, but directly took out the jade box containing the Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill.
"Brother Ruan, this is a Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill, a second-rank spirit pill. It can repair your physical body and replenish your lost blood and qi."
"It's worth twelve hundred spirit stones, which just happens to cover the cost of your Illusion Heart Grass."
"What? A Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill!"
Ruan Tieniu's expression changed, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at the jade box in Chen Jianghe's hand, a look of intense desire filling them.
It was quickly followed by overwhelming excitement.
"Brother Chen, you..."
"It's just a trade, Brother Ruan. No need to say more."
Chen Jianghe placed the Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill in Ruan Tieniu's hands and then entered his own courtyard.
Ruan Tieniu stood frozen on the spot, unable to recover from his shock for a long time.
"That's two favors now. I'm afraid I'll never be able to repay them in this lifetime."
Ruan Tieniu wasn't at home cultivating the secret art because he had gone to the Southeast District to seek out two seniors who were former demonic beast hunters.
He knew very well that even if his left arm regenerated.
The fang hole in his forehead could not heal. His blood and qi were constantly draining away, which would manifest as a physical deficiency during his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.
The success rate for Foundation Establishment would be reduced by twenty percent.
He had a perfected physical body and a perfected spirit, plus the breakthrough location in the Southeast District and the low-quality Foundation Establishment Pill from Chen Jianghe.
His success rate for Foundation Establishment was seventy percent.
But this was his second attempt, so the success rate had to be halved, leaving him with only a thirty-five percent chance of success.
Having his forehead bone pierced by a second-rank demonic beast had damaged his foundation. If he hadn't decisively used the Blood Escape Art to flee for his life.
He would have already perished in the Youxian Mountain Range.
But it also cost him another twenty percent of his success rate.
In other words, he only had a fifteen percent chance of success this time.
Ruan Tieniu was willing to risk his life to attempt the breakthrough, but he wanted to succeed even more. That was why he went to the Southeast District.
He went to beg those two Foundation Establishment seniors who were former demonic beast hunters.
As long as they could help him obtain a spirit pill to repair his body, Ruan Tieniu would become their servant.
Even if he succeeded in Foundation Establishment, he would remain their servant.
It was just that Ruan Tieniu had overestimated his importance in the eyes of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
If it were his first attempt at Foundation Establishment, perhaps those two seniors would have accepted the deal and helped him find a second-rank alchemist to purchase a healing pill.
But the success rate for a second attempt was too low.
It wasn't that there had never been a case of a successful second attempt in Qinghe Market City, but none had occurred in the last hundred years.
They didn't have faith in Ruan Tieniu.
Naturally, they didn't want to waste their spirit stones.
Ruan Tieniu had thought this was his fate and that he would have to force his way through the breakthrough. He never expected Chen Jianghe to bring him such a surprise.
A second-rank spirit pill, the Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill.
A miraculous healing pill that even those two Foundation Establishment seniors would have difficulty obtaining.
This could completely repair his physical body, allowing him to attempt the breakthrough with a thirty-five percent chance of success.
Ruan Tieniu hung up the 'In Seclusion' sign.
He began cultivating the secret art to regenerate his left arm.
——
Two days later.
Chen Jianghe stepped out of his courtyard and glanced at Courtyard 514, which had the 'In Seclusion' sign hanging on it.
A smile touched the corner of his lips.
If the Illusion Heart Grass were auctioned, he would receive around eleven hundred spirit stones.
The Flesh Regrowing and Bone Mending Pill was worth twelve hundred spirit stones.
An investment of just over a hundred spirit stones, if successful.
Would mean forming a good relationship with a Foundation Establishment senior. For Chen Jianghe, this investment was well worth it.
He arrived at Fushou Lane.
Chen Jianghe found Alchemist Zhuang and received the refined Youth Retaining Pill, but there was only one.
He had promised the other two to Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan.
This also meant that the moment Chen Jianghe appeared in Alchemist Zhuang's courtyard, he was surrounded by the two women, who were respectful, polite, and full of flattery.
He almost got lost in their praise.
He had no choice but to quickly pull Alchemist Zhuang away to find that female weapon refiner.
"Is that senior not in Fushou Lane?"
Chen Jianghe asked.
In his impression, the high-level artisans mostly lived in the Northeast District of Qinghe Market City.
Fushou Lane, in particular, with its auspicious name, was packed with high-grade artisans and grandmaster artisans.
"Don't forget, Fellow Daoist, this fairy is not just a grandmaster weapon refiner, but also a Foundation Establishment senior."
Alchemist Zhuang said with a chuckle.
He led Chen Jianghe towards the Southeast District.
This was where the Foundation Establishment cultivators lived, as well as the two top-tier immortal clans, the Qing Clan and the He Clan.
Before long, they arrived at Changsheng Lane in the Southeast District.
The architectural style here was different from the Northeast District; it wasn't uniformly two-story courtyard houses.
Instead, they varied in size.
There were even single-room courtyards like those in Qingping Lane, though they looked a bit larger from the outside. Still, it was strange.
"These single-room courtyards are inhabited by Foundation Establishment cultivators who were formerly demonic beast hunters. Although they've reached Foundation Establishment, they lack a special skill and are still just hired muscle with meager incomes."
As they passed these single-room courtyards, Alchemist Zhuang sent a voice transmission to Chen Jianghe.
It seemed that in the eyes of artisans, the profession of demonic beast hunter was more or less looked down upon.
Even after reaching Foundation Establishment, they were still disdained by a second-rank grandmaster alchemist like Alchemist Zhuang.
Chen Jianghe smiled but said nothing.
He was only a mid-grade Talisman Master. Although his success rate in creating mid-grade Five Elements Escape Talismans was higher than that of many high-grade Talisman Masters.
He still didn't have the confidence to look down on Foundation Establishment cultivators.
In his eyes, Foundation Establishment cultivators were like the sky hanging over Qi Refining cultivators, capable of obliterating them at will.
Their combat power was an unimaginable existence.
"We're here. This is Fairy Luo's... she's out?"
Alchemist Zhuang walked up to a two-story courtyard house and was just about to introduce it to Chen Jianghe when he saw the sign hanging on the side of the gate and froze.
"Fellow Daoist, it seems we've come at an inconvenient time. Fairy Luo is not here. We'll have to come back another time."
"Ah, alright then."
Chen Jianghe wanted to get the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit as soon as possible so Alchemist Zhuang could refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, to avoid any unexpected complications.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I am certain that you will be able to trade for the Purple Glow Vermilion Fruit from Fairy Luo."
Seeing Chen Jianghe's disappointed expression, Alchemist Zhuang offered a firm reassurance.
Chen Jianghe smiled and nodded.
Then he left Changsheng Lane.
When they passed the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the two parted ways.
Back at home.
Chen Jianghe continued to create spirit talismans, waiting for a message from Alchemist Zhuang.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth day of the new year.
Mazi came to trade.
Chen Jianghe went out and first glanced at Ruan Tieniu's gate.
Seeing that the sign hanging there had been changed to 'Out', he knew that Ruan Tieniu had already gone to the Southeast District to attempt his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.