Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: The Secret to Guaranteed Foundation Establishment
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Yun Xiaoniu stepped out of his room and glanced toward the inner courtyard. After a moment's hesitation, he turned and went back inside.
It was late into the night.
As the eldest brother, it was indeed improper for him to go to Mistress Zhou's courtyard, and even probing with his divine sense was inappropriate.
However, the fluctuation of spiritual power just now had been hers, and it had vanished after her scolding.
There was no need to worry about her safety.
Yun Siniu, who had also been startled, felt the same. They could only wait until tomorrow for Mistress Zhou to tell them what had happened in the middle of the night.
"It must have been a servant who made a mistake and displeased Xiaoyue."
Yu Daniu said with a smile. As her father-in-law, it was even more inappropriate for him to casually probe her courtyard with his divine sense.
But since there were no spiritual power fluctuations from anyone else, it meant she was fine.
After all, Mistress Zhou was now a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator. In a small cultivation town, she would be considered a great cultivator of the late Qi Refining stage.
"Mm."
Chen Jianghe didn't press the matter. Instead, he took a sip of immortal spirit wine and asked, "Daniu, what arrangements have been made for the Zhou Clan?"
"Zhou Miaoyun is on good terms with us brothers, and we're family by marriage. She came to us when the Yu Clan was first established. I originally wanted the Zhou Clan to develop in Suyang Town, eighty miles north of Qiyun Mountain. There's a first-tier high-grade spirit vein there."
"There are also twelve acres of spirit fields, which would allow the Zhou Clan to develop steadily."
Yu Daniu paused, then said helplessly, "But Zhou Miaoyun wants to develop in Yunmen Town. The dispute over the Yunmen Mountain mine isn't completely over yet. If the Zhou Clan is in Yunmen Town, there will still be danger."
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe asked, "Are there spirit fields being developed in Yunmen Town?"
"Well... hehe..."
Yu Daniu shook his head with a wry smile. "Big Brother, you may not know, but Yunmen Town is right at the foot of Yunmen Mountain, only twenty miles from the mine. There are no spirit fields to develop there."
"However, the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine is quite large. It should be a second-tier low-grade spirit mine, capable of yielding at least thirty thousand spirit stones."
"Currently, the Yun Clan has secured a quarter of the mining rights for the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine and has shared these rights with the Yu Clan."
"As you know, Big Brother, the Yu Clan is short on manpower right now. We can't effectively mine Yunmen Mountain ourselves, so we have to let other cultivation clans mine it on our behalf in exchange for a ten percent share of the profits."
Hearing Yu Daniu's words.
Chen Jianghe gained a better understanding of the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine.
The mine was still being contested, but the Yun Clan had already secured a quarter of the mining rights.
They were still fighting for the remaining three-quarters.
But the Yu Clan didn't need to get involved. The Yun Clan would fight on their behalf, and whatever they won would be given to the Yu Clan.
The reason Zhou Miaoyun wanted the Zhou Clan to move to Yunmen Town was to cooperate with the Yu Clan in mining the spirit ore.
Since the Yu Clan had to share the profits anyway, sharing them with the Zhou Clan was just the same.
However, Yunmen Town was not peaceful. If another large-scale battle broke out on Yunmen Mountain, the town would likely be affected.
Out of consideration for their friendship and familial ties, Yu Daniu did not want the Zhou Clan to get involved in this mess.
However, thanks to the efforts of the Yun Clan's ancestor, the relationship between the Yun and Yu clans had eased considerably.
They had practically become brother clans.
"The Zhou Clan wants to take a gamble in Yunmen Town. What does Xiaoyue say?" Chen Jianghe asked.
"Xiaoyue agrees with the Zhou Clan moving into Yunmen Town, but they must hand over ninety percent of the mined spirit stones to the Yu Clan."
Speaking of Mistress Zhou, Yu Daniu's face filled with gratification.
The Yu Clan's ten percent profit share had been decided after discussions between Yun Xiaoniu and the Yun Clan's ancestor.
He hadn't expected that Mistress Zhou, despite the Zhou Clan being her maiden family, wouldn't try to give them too many benefits. In fact, her requirements for mining the spirit ore were extremely strict.
"Big Brother, in a couple of days, I plan to send Eldest and Fourth to Yunmen Mountain. The Yun Clan has helped the Yu Clan so much. Now that they're fighting for our interests, we can't just let them shoulder everything while we reap the benefits without contributing."
"Xiaoniu is already a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Has the conflict over the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine escalated to involve Foundation Establishment cultivators?" Chen Jianghe frowned.
A Foundation Establishment Ancestor was the bedrock of a cultivation clan.
They would not leave their clan's territory unless it was absolutely necessary.
"The Yunmen Mountain spirit mine is currently considered a second-tier low-grade mine, but the ancestor estimates it could also be a second-tier mid-grade one."
Yu Daniu said with a serious expression, "The Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the Crimson Water Liu Clan and the River Ridge Shi Clan are both at the Yunmen Mountain mine. Therefore, our ancestor has been stationed there all this time, fighting for the Yu Clan's interests."
"A second-tier mid-grade spirit mine?"
Chen Jianghe was startled.
Then it all made sense. No wonder these Foundation Establishment Ancestors were all personally overseeing things at Yunmen Mountain. The mine was very likely a second-tier mid-grade one.
Both first and second-tier spirit mines produced low-grade spirit stones.
A second-tier low-grade spirit mine typically yielded over thirty thousand spirit stones.
A second-tier mid-grade spirit mine, however, yielded over eighty thousand.
If they obtained the full mining rights to the Yunmen Mountain mine, and it turned out to be a second-tier mid-grade one...
Even after handing over twenty-five percent of the mined spirit stones to the Tiannan Sect and ten percent to the Puppet Lu Clan, they would still be left with sixty-five percent of the profits.
After subtracting the spirit stones paid out for the mining itself, they would still have a profit of at least forty-five thousand spirit stones.
Even if it was only a second-tier low-grade spirit mine, securing all the mining rights.
Would still yield a profit of over fifteen thousand spirit stones.
"That's for the best. We can't let the Yun Clan do all the hard work. The Yun Clan's ancestor has already done so much for the Yu Clan."
Regarding the improved relations between the Yun and Yu clans.
Chen Jianghe was quite happy to see it. After all, he owed the Yun Clan a debt of gratitude for introducing him to the path of cultivation.
He certainly didn't want the two families to be at odds.
"By the way, Big Brother, my younger brother from my farming days is still alive. Thanks to Huizhen's secret arrangements back then, he married a woman with a spirit root from a cultivation clan in Bixia Town. They even had two sons, both with five-element miscellaneous spirit roots."
"Among my two nephews' eight children, three also have spirit roots, and one of them is even a four-element pseudo spirit root."
Yu Daniu looked at Chen Jianghe and asked, "Should I give them some cultivation resources?"
Yu Daniu didn't understand clan matters.
But Mistress Zhou, having been influenced by Yun Huizhen, was well-versed in them. However, since this involved Yu Daniu's mortal younger brother, she dared not offer an unsolicited opinion.
Therefore, Yu Daniu could only ask Chen Jianghe for his advice.
"What Foundation Establishment immortal clan doesn't have collateral disciples? As a clan develops, the number of collateral disciples will only increase."
Chen Jianghe patted Yu Daniu's arm and said with a smile, "Your brother's descendants are naturally collateral disciples of your Yu Clan."
"With Xiaoniu and Siniu around, the direct line of the Yu Clan has a long time to grow. There's no need to worry about anything."
Hearing this, Yu Daniu also broke into a simple, honest smile.
Chen Jianghe was actually quite surprised by the situation with Yu Daniu and his brother.
Yu Daniu had five sons in a row, all of whom were born with spirit roots, two of them being four-element pseudo spirit roots.
Unexpectedly, his mortal brother, after marrying a woman with a spirit root, also fathered two children with spirit roots.
Even more incredible was that these two children with spirit roots had gone on to have three more children with spirit roots, one of whom was a four-element pseudo spirit root.
It made Chen Jianghe wonder if the Yu family had some kind of talent for procreation!
However, the addition of Yu Daniu's brother's family would indeed help make up for the Yu Clan's lack of members in its early stages.
The next day.
Under Yu Daniu's "careful" arrangements, Chen Jianghe's residence was placed right next to Luo Xiyue's.
You could say he was sandwiched directly between Luo Xiyue and Alchemist Zhuang.
Chen Jianghe didn't like being crowded. He had Xiao Hei and Maoqiu, whom he preferred to keep hidden from others.
But according to Yu Daniu.
He was already seventy-six, soon to be seventy-seven. He wasn't young anymore.
Even in pursuit of the immortal path of longevity, one couldn't spend a lifetime in solitary cultivation. Finding a dao companion was perfectly compatible with seeking the Dao.
There was some truth to Yu Daniu's words, and it was hard to argue against them.
After all, dual cultivators were not uncommon in the cultivation world, and many tales of immortal couples were widely circulated in the South Heaven Domain.
However, Yu Daniu's judgment was a bit lacking.
To think he could melt that iceberg, Luo Xiyue!
Chen Jianghe laughed at himself.
He knew his own worth very well.
He was still just a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator. His physical body had not yet reached perfection, nor had his spirit.
Foundation Establishment?
It was close.
His physical body would reach perfection in half a year at most, a stable result polished by time.
As for his spiritual cultivation?
In three years at most, he could cultivate to the peak of the late Spirit Refining stage, and then use the Earth Core Soul-Refining Stone to break through to perfection.
If everything went smoothly, he had a chance to reach Foundation Establishment at the age of eighty.
As for the success rate of Foundation Establishment?
Chen Jianghe wasn't worried about that now. He was already certain of a hundred percent chance of success, though, of course, he still needed Alchemist Zhuang's help.
In the three-courtyard residence, Chen Jianghe sat in a pavilion in the small garden of the rear courtyard, the jade slip he'd traded with Ji Wujin appearing in his hand.
This simple, unadorned jade slip was worth two thousand eight hundred spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe thought it was well worth it.
Not only was it not a loss, but he had also profited greatly.
Recorded within was a secret method for a one hundred percent success rate in Foundation Establishment.
There were two such secret methods.
The first was very simple: just have enough Foundation Establishment Pills. Take Chen Jianghe's current situation, for example.
If his physical body was perfected, his spirit was perfected, he made his breakthrough in a second-tier high-grade spirit vein, and he had a supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill...
His success rate would be ninety percent.
He would only need one more inferior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill to reach one hundred percent success.
This was the first secret method for guaranteed Foundation Establishment. It seemed simple, but in reality, it was also extremely difficult.
Foundation Establishment Pills were not so easily obtained.
Qinghe Market City only held an auction for them once every twenty or thirty years, sometimes for standard-grade pills, sometimes for inferior-grade ones.
This showed just how rare Foundation Establishment Pills were.
Not every cultivator could afford to wait twenty or thirty years.
Chen Jianghe, however, didn't need to worry about a second Foundation Establishment Pill. Alchemist Zhuang was only one Illusory Heart Grass short of being able to refine another batch.
And he happened to have one.
Furthermore, he also had a second-tier ice-element spirit core on him. If he could obtain another Purple Cloud Vermilion Fruit and Illusory Heart Grass...
Alchemist Zhuang might be able to refine two more batches of Foundation Establishment Pills in his lifetime.
The second secret method for guaranteed Foundation Establishment was a bit more difficult.
It required taking Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills during the breakthrough.
The Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills were a set of five different pills: the Metal-Sealing Pill, Wood-Sealing Pill, Water-Sealing Pill, Fire-Sealing Pill, and Earth-Sealing Pill.
All five were second-tier mid-grade spirit pills.
For someone like Chen Jianghe with a five-element miscellaneous spirit root, he only needed to take the Metal-Sealing Pill and the Wood-Sealing Pill to temporarily become a three-element true spirit root cultivator for the next four hours.
Four hours was more than enough time to successfully break through to Foundation Establishment.
However, one could take at most two Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills at a time, so the assistance of a Foundation Establishment Pill was still necessary to have a hundred percent chance of success.
Moreover, taking Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills had no effect on those who already had a three-element true spirit root.
One Spirit-Sealing Pill was worth one thousand two hundred spirit stones. Two of them were roughly equivalent in value to an inferior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
However, Chen Jianghe had never even heard of the Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills.
The *Qinghe Magazine* had no information whatsoever about them.
"Spirit-Sealing Fruit and second-tier five-element natural treasures."
"Second-tier five-element natural treasures should be easy enough to find, but what is this Spirit-Sealing Fruit?"
The jade slip from Ji Wujin included the recipe for the Five-Element Spirit-Sealing Pills, which was precisely why.
Chen Jianghe felt his trade with Ji Wujin was a great deal.
As long as he could obtain the Spirit-Sealing Fruit, Chen Jianghe would have the means to refine Spirit-Sealing Pills. In the future, after he delves into alchemy...
This could definitely become his exclusive spirit pill.
He had never heard of Spirit-Sealing Pills before; not even the *Qinghe Magazine* or the *Yun Clan Magazine* had any record of them.
"Spirit-Sealing Fruit?"
Chen Jianghe muttered to himself.
He guessed that perhaps the *Qinghe Magazine* was not high-level enough, and thus had no record of this particular natural treasure.
"But where did this Ji Wujin come from? How does he have such a miraculous pill recipe?"
"Luo Xiyue seems to know Ji Wujin's origins, but she won't say. Does that mean she knows about the Spirit-Sealing Pills?"
Chen Jianghe recalled what Luo Xiyue had told him.
It was clear that Luo Xiyue had some knowledge of Ji Wujin's family; they likely came from the same place.
He then shook his head, pushing these thoughts aside.
The next day.
Chen Jianghe went to Alchemist Zhuang's residence. He had to admit that Qiyun Mountain, managed by the White Clan for centuries, was quite impressive.
It even had an array to draw earth fire, which was a great convenience for Alchemist Zhuang's alchemy.
"Senior."
When Zhuang Xinyan saw Chen Jianghe arrive, her phoenix-like eyes shimmered. She curtsied and then lowered her head, though she would occasionally steal a glance at him.
"Xinyan, where's your grandfather?"
"Grandfather and my junior sister went to discuss purchasing medicinal herbs with Uncle Daniu. They should be back soon."
"Alright, I'll wait for him here for a bit."
"Okay, I'll go make some tea for you, Senior." Zhuang Xinyan's face lit up, and she obediently went to brew a pot of spirit tea for Chen Jianghe.
Chen Jianghe made himself at home at Alchemist Zhuang's place, just as he did in Qinghe Market City, sitting down in the waterside pavilion in the courtyard.
He sipped his tea, quietly waiting for Alchemist Zhuang to return.
Zhuang Xinyan stood by his side, attending to him and occasionally refilling his cup.
Chen Jianghe glanced at Zhuang Xinyan and noticed that the young girl had become much bolder than before. At the very least, she was no longer timid in his presence.
She smiled more often as well.
Her looks were slightly inferior to Jiang Ruxu's, but she had a gentle, unassuming beauty. Dressed in a pale green silk dress, she was a pleasant sight, making one want to cherish and protect her.
"Xinyan, have you started practicing a spiritual cultivation technique yet?"
In the pavilion, Chen Jianghe sat sipping tea while Zhuang Xinyan stood obediently by his side. Neither spoke, which made Zhuang Xinyan seem like a servant girl and created a bit of an awkward silence.
"Not yet. Grandfather said I should wait until I reach the ninth level of Qi Refining before I start. It's the same for my junior sister."
"However, Grandfather has already bought us spiritual items to aid in spiritual cultivation, so that our spiritual cultivation can reach perfection at the same time as our magical power."
Zhuang Xinyan said softly.
She held nothing back from Chen Jianghe, revealing the entire cultivation plan Alchemist Zhuang had arranged for her and her sister.
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe felt a pang of envy.
This was the benefit of having an elder to look after you; everything was arranged meticulously and thoughtfully.
Waiting until the ninth level of Qi Refining to start practicing a spiritual cultivation technique was the optimal time, allowing one's spiritual cultivation to advance in lockstep with their magical power.
It was just like practicing a body-tempering art at the eighth level of Qi Refining. By the time one broke through to the ninth level, as long as there were enough body-tempering resources, one's physical body would also reach perfection.
This way, one could attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment before the age of fifty-two.
Even without a Foundation Establishment Pill, one would still have eight years to acquire one, which was a very generous amount of time.
However, all of this was predicated on having the necessary resources.
As they were talking, Alchemist Zhuang and Jiang Ruxu returned.
Seeing Zhuang Xinyan chatting with Chen Jianghe, a hint of gratification appeared in Alchemist Zhuang's eyes before he walked over.
Chen Jianghe stood up at the same time to greet them.
"Fellow Daoist, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I was discussing the purchase of medicinal herbs with Fellow Daoist Yu."
Alchemist Zhuang gestured for Chen Jianghe to sit, a kind smile on his face. "That brother of yours..."
"What's wrong? Did Daniu do something to displease you, Alchemist Zhuang?" Chen Jianghe asked quickly.
"He's too honest."
Alchemist Zhuang shook his head and said helplessly, "He provides the medicinal herbs, and Ruxu refines the pills. I told him to pay forty percent of the market price for the spirit stones, but he insisted on giving fifty percent. Just now, he even tried to raise it to fifty-five percent."
"Isn't he treating me like a stranger, in front of you, Fellow Daoist?"
"Haha... That's just how Daniu is. But I must thank you, Fellow Daoist. It's only because of you that Daniu can purchase spirit pills at an eighty percent discount."
Chen Jianghe cupped his hands in thanks.
"You're too kind, Fellow Daoist. Fellow Daoist Yu is like a brother to you, so naturally, he is a friend of mine as well. It's just that selling them at an eighty percent discount truly makes me lose face in front of you."
Alchemist Zhuang said with a sigh.
He had intended to sell the pills to Yu Daniu at a seventy or even sixty percent discount.
After all, they wouldn't be staying on Qiyun Mountain for long.
For Chen Jianghe's sake, Alchemist Zhuang was more than willing to provide some convenience to the Yu Clan for a short time.
He was also aware of the relationship between Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu.
"Being able to buy spirit pills at eighty percent of the market price is already a tremendous blessing. If it were seventy percent, not only Daniu, but I myself would not agree."
Before Alchemist Zhuang could say more, Chen Jianghe changed the subject, cupping his hands in congratulations. "I have something to congratulate you on, Fellow Daoist!"
"Congratulate me?"
Alchemist Zhuang was taken aback, then his face lit up with ecstatic joy. He looked at Chen Jianghe, his voice trembling, "Fellow Daoist, have you found the Illusory Heart Grass?"
"Haha... Age and experience will always prevail!"
Chen Jianghe exclaimed, taking the Illusory Heart Grass out of his storage bag and handing it to Alchemist Zhuang.
"It really is Illusory Heart Grass?"
Alchemist Zhuang's arm, thin as a withered branch, trembled as he accepted the Illusory Heart Grass, the joy in his eyes impossible to conceal.
His lifespan was nearing its end.
He didn't have many years left to live.
His biggest worry was his granddaughter, Zhuang Xinyan, but he knew that even if he couldn't let go, what could he do?
No one could live forever.
He had cultivated for over a hundred years and knew that even Core Formation Masters had their final moments, let alone a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator like himself.
Therefore, he could only do his best to pave the way for his granddaughter and disciple, to give them both a chance to reach Foundation Establishment.
The Foundation Establishment Pill.
This was what Alchemist Zhuang sought.
With the Foundation Establishment Pill, even if Jiang Ruxu and Zhuang Xinyan failed to break through, they would still survive.
"Xinyan, Ruxu."
Alchemist Zhuang glanced at Zhuang Xinyan and Jiang Ruxu. The two girls understood and bowed deeply to Chen Jianghe.
"Ruxu (Xinyan) thanks you, Senior."
"Alright, there's no need for so many formalities."
Chen Jianghe smiled and helped the two girls up, then turned to Alchemist Zhuang. "Fellow Daoist, when do you plan to begin refining the pills?"
"I was confident that you would be able to find the main ingredient for the Foundation Establishment Pill, so I prepared the supplementary materials long ago."
"I can start refining at any time."
The next moment, a hint of regret appeared on Alchemist Zhuang's face. "Without the Profound Ice Jade Marrow, it's a bit of a pity. I'm afraid it will be impossible to refine another supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill."
A supreme-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was something one could only hope to encounter by chance.
Using a second-tier ice-element spirit core as a substitute for Profound Ice Jade Marrow made it absolutely impossible for a supreme-grade pill to appear.
"A supreme-grade pill may be out of reach, but with your skill in alchemy, Fellow Daoist, there's still a good chance of producing two standard-grade Foundation Establishment Pills," Chen Jianghe offered a timely compliment.
"Haha, two standard-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, I'm quite confident about that."
For once, Alchemist Zhuang did not feign modesty and spoke with great confidence.
"Xinyan and Ruxu only need two Foundation Establishment Pills. The remaining one will be yours to handle, Fellow Daoist."
"Good."
Chen Jianghe nodded. He was just about to say that he wanted to keep the third pill.
He already had a ninety percent chance of success. To reach one hundred percent, he needed exactly one more inferior-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
As for the value of the Illusory Heart Grass and the supplementary materials.
Neither Chen Jianghe nor Alchemist Zhuang mentioned it.
Even the one thousand two hundred spirit stones from before, and that second-tier metal-element attack talisman.
Were not brought up again.
At this stage of their friendship, neither of them would care about a thousand-odd spirit stones.
Especially Alchemist Zhuang. What he cared about was that Chen Jianghe, his "closest friend," had become a true bosom buddy.
As for Chen Jianghe?
Alchemist Zhuang had helped him many times. He kept all of this in his heart and certainly wouldn't bring up these things to settle accounts and distance himself when Alchemist Zhuang was nearing the end of his life.
He intended to foster a good relationship with Alchemist Zhuang.
He also intended to continue this friendship through Jiang Ruxu.
He needed an alchemist as a friend, especially one as talented as Jiang Ruxu.
In the future, when he delved into alchemy, Jiang Ruxu would be able to provide him with considerable help.
With that, Chen Jianghe didn't disturb Alchemist Zhuang any further. He didn't want to endure the agonizing wait while Alchemist Zhuang refined the Foundation Establishment Pills.
Rather than suffer through that.
It was better to come back in ten days or half a month to collect the pills.
Watching Chen Jianghe leave, Alchemist Zhuang took a deep breath, the joy in his eyes growing even more intense.
One of his wishes had been fulfilled.
Only his final wish remained.
"I have already obtained the Crimson Scale Dragon Saliva Grass. For the main ingredients of the Dragon Tiger Vitality Pill, I am only missing the Tiger Soul Blood Ginseng."