“Is this… Core Formation?”
As a standard ant of the cultivation world, after watching grand spectacles like a Core Formation battle and the Sea-Churning Flood Dragon Serpent undergoing tribulation from within the protection of the formation, Fang Qing’s heart burned hot. He wished he could return at once, enter secluded cultivation, and not emerge until he had reached Foundation Establishment—even Core Formation!
But he knew this was only a beautiful fantasy.
Without a Foundation Establishment Pill, what was he supposed to use to break through—his head?
After returning to his cave abode, Fang Qing began studying the “Plum Blossom Changes,” and could not help casting a few more divinations.
“Hm? The Bihai Sect’s fortune is hidden in the shadows? There are signs of great prosperity…”
Following the hexagram to infer cause and effect, he received an inspiration. “An Outer Core… the ‘Tide-Rising Pearl’? No, I can’t calculate any further. After all, this involves Core Formation, the third tier… Even with the status of the Dao-Generating Pearl, the gap in major realms is too great…”
Ever since his previous experiences, he had understood the principle that divination required reverence toward destiny.
After resting briefly, Fang Qing could not help himself again and began divining opportunities for Foundation Establishment—especially the whereabouts of Foundation Establishment Pills. It would be best if there was one without an owner.
Then his calculation led him straight to Elder Tianding…
“This Plum Blossom Changes first calculates those who have karmic ties to me… I am a disciple of Pill Island, so being connected to Elder Tianding is quite reasonable…”
When Fang Qing then tried to divine the whereabouts of Core Formation spiritual medicines, the result was a complete blank!
“The cultivation world is incomparably vast. Even if the Lesser Huan Sea has no Core Formation spiritual medicines, the East Sea cultivation world surely does! I can’t calculate it… First, because my realm is insufficient; second, because there are no karmic ties?”
He touched his nose, and at some point, another patch of crimson appeared.
“As expected… even over here, I still can’t act without restraint.”
Fang Qing swallowed a healing pill and silently adjusted his breathing for a while. Then his heart stirred, and he thought again of that streak of red.
He silently divined Zha Zhu’s karma. “A high-grade water spiritual root, a Pearl-Origin Body? If the Sea-Churning Flood Dragon Serpent had devoured her, perhaps it really could have endured the nine heavenly tribulations…”
“What a pity… a beauty has perished.”
“Hua Lian… actually didn’t know the secret behind this at all. He merely contacted members of the Zhong family and pulled off a job… yet accidentally severed the flood dragon serpent’s hope of advancing. Is this destiny?”
…
Wanbao Island, Hall of General Affairs.
The hall that had once been deserted was especially lively today.
Many disciples looked at the rankings on the battle merit board and cried out in surprise. Some stared at the exchange list, practically drooling. “Foundation Establishment Pills! You can actually exchange directly for Foundation Establishment Pills?!”
Fang Qing also swept his gaze over it and nodded inwardly. “So many disciples died. They have to make some gesture. Releasing a few Foundation Establishment Pills is only proper.”
He glanced at the battle merit board. Since this board did not rank cultivators above Foundation Establishment, the one in first place was the “Life-Taking Sword,” Cui Zhe.
With his battle merits, he should be able to exchange for one Foundation Establishment Pill.
If he obtained the position of true disciple a few years later as well, then he would have two chances at Foundation Establishment. He could basically be regarded as a future Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Senior Brother, have you come to check your contribution points?”
When Fang Qing arrived at the Hall of General Affairs and found the disciple in charge of miscellaneous affairs, he was immediately received with great enthusiasm.
After all, he was now a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator. Even among the sect’s many Qi Refining disciples, he was unquestionably an expert.
Not to mention that after experiencing a great battle, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators had suffered heavy casualties. Those who remained were all formidable characters.
“That’s right.”
Fang Qing handed over his disciple token.
“Senior Brother slew a late-stage Qi Refining enemy?”
After checking it over, that disciple glanced at Fang Qing with some admiration. “This counts as a major merit. According to the sect’s newly issued regulations, you may be rewarded with one thousand contribution points. In addition, there was your previous garrison mission. Although it failed, the basic contribution is still one hundred points… Lastly, now that the great battle has ended, the sect is issuing rewards to every disciple. Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators may receive five hundred contribution points… If Senior Brother wishes to exchange for items, now is the perfect opportunity.”
Fang Qing nodded slightly and looked toward the exchange list.
“The Zhong family has retreated, and the great battle is over… the prices of magic artifacts immediately plunged.”
“But according to my divination, I’m afraid another great battle will occur within a few years. Could I perhaps stockpile a batch in advance and then sell them once prices soar, making a huge profit?”
“Wait… if a few years from now I’m still relying on stockpiling magic artifacts to earn spirit stones, wouldn’t these few years have been wasted?”
His thoughts wandered wildly, but his divine sense was exceptionally useful. He circled many portions of the main ingredients for “Qi Refining Powder.” “Let’s exchange for these first.”
“Yes, Senior Brother!”
Seeing that Fang Qing was exchanging for medicinal ingredients, the disciple of the Hall of General Affairs became even more respectful.
After all, this was an alchemist! And one suspected of being able to refine high-grade first-tier pills!
On Pill Island, he could be like Wulongzi, drawing in a group of mid- and low-level disciples and forming a small faction.
It could only be said that Fang Qing’s ambitions did not lie there.
“Wait… I wonder what happened to that group from the Five Dragons Society, especially Wulongzi and Xu Wusu?”
Just as Fang Qing was pondering, the duty disciple had already handed him a storage bag filled with medicinal ingredients. “Senior Brother, all the items you exchanged for are here. Since the expenditure is considerable, please sign and place your mark as proof.”
“Mm.”
Fang Qing agreed, then looked at the disciple who brought over the account book. Suddenly, he smiled. “Senior Brother Hua…”
“Junior Brother Fang?”
When Hua Lian saw Fang Qing, he was likewise extremely surprised. “You… broke through to the late stage?”
“Yes. At the brink of life and death, one always makes some progress.”
Fang Qing replied politely.
Although he had already decided in his heart to get rid of this smiling tiger, on the surface he was even more courteous.
“Then I must congratulate Junior Brother. What a pity that we broke through too late. Otherwise, riding this favorable wind, Foundation Establishment might have been within reach…”
Hua Lian sighed somewhat. Although he had relied on the credibility he had cultivated earlier to secretly entrap a batch of elite disciples and earn a huge sum,
those were all spirit stones and materials… They could not possibly be converted into contribution points, much less exchanged for a Foundation Establishment Pill!
However, given the merit of the Hua family of Flying Fish Island this time, surely the Zhong family would not be stingy with a few Foundation Establishment Pills.
Perhaps in a few years, he would be a great Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Since there happened to be an acquaintance here, and even though Hua Lian harbored ill intentions, his attitude had always been decent before, Fang Qing casually asked about the Five Dragons Society.
“The Five Dragons Society… It truly is somewhat regrettable.” Hua Lian first sighed, then said, “It’s said that this time, many Five Dragons Society members at the front line pooled their strength and handed all the contribution points they obtained to Wulongzi. They almost had enough to exchange for one Foundation Establishment Pill… Unfortunately, with the previous great defeat at sea, several Five-Toothed Great Ships were sunk, and the Five Dragons Society suffered grievous casualties. As for Senior Brother Wulongzi, he should have returned safely to the sect…”
Fang Qing fell silent for a moment, then asked, “I wonder how Xu Wusu is?”
“He also returned safely, but his dantian and sea of qi were damaged, and his cultivation fell to the early stage of Qi Refining… Without a second-tier miraculous pill, I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to recover his cultivation in this lifetime.”
Hua Lian had clearly seen many such things before. “Perhaps before long, Junior Brother Xu will retire and return home to spread his branches and leaves… Many Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment clans under the sect’s rule came about this way.”
“His sea of qi and dantian were injured?”
Fang Qing was startled. This was an injury that harmed one’s Dao path even more than a severed limb. “Sigh… It seems Junior Brother Xu was destined to suffer this calamity. I wonder if Senior Brother Wulongzi can exchange for a spiritual pill for him?”
“I think that’s doubtful…”
A hint of ridicule flashed across Hua Lian’s face and vanished in an instant. “The contribution points in Wulongzi’s hands are indeed enough to exchange for a second-tier spiritual pill to repair Xu Wusu’s dantian, but the price would be nearly clearing out all the contributions from this battle… He’s only a little short of being able to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. If it were you, would you be willing?”
Fang Qing was silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Naturally not…”
“So…”
Hua Lian waved his hand.
Fang Qing walked out of the Hall of General Affairs and looked up at the gloomy sky.
The surrounding disciples were either smiling broadly because the great battle had ended, or excited over the rare treasures on the exchange list.
As for those who had died or been crippled, no one cared about them any longer!
This was what cultivators were!
Cultivation was heartless!
…
Lakeside Villa.
It had to be said that the Bihai Sect was extremely realistic.
When Xu Wusu’s cultivation fell to the early stage of Qi Refining, and even became difficult to raise ever again, he requested on his own to be demoted to an outer sect disciple, and his cave abode was moved to Lakeside Villa.
Fang Qing asked around all the way before finally arriving in front of Xu Wusu’s courtyard.
The only advantage of Lakeside Villa was that the cave abodes were large enough. Xu Wusu had even fenced off an area in front of his wooden house and planted some worthless spiritual herbs inside.
“Xu… Junior Brother.”
When Fang Qing arrived, Xu Wusu was watering the spiritual herbs.
Only now, the Xu Wusu who appeared before Fang Qing’s eyes no longer looked as he had before. Not only had his hair turned mottled with gray, his entire person also looked much older.
“So it is Fang… Senior Brother.”
Xu Wusu stopped what he was doing and sensed the powerful spiritual pressure on Fang Qing. “I have yet to congratulate you on advancing to the late stage of Qi Refining…”
“Junior Brother, don’t lose heart. The Five Dragons Society will still need you to manage it in the future…” Fang Qing consoled him.
“Haha… the Five Dragons Society? There is no Five Dragons Society anymore.”
Xu Wusu gave a bitter laugh. “After the great battle, the Five Dragons Society suffered grievous casualties. Many of the survivors saw my current fate and directly withdrew from the society… Senior Brother must have come here today for the same reason, no? But I no longer have any spirit stones in my hands. If you want your membership fee refunded, I’m afraid I cannot…”
In the face of life and death, everything became clear.
Wulongzi was not even willing to treat him, so any future talk of helping him reach Foundation Establishment could only be a joke!
Thus, many members of the Five Dragons Society demanded that the spirit stones and materials they had previously pooled together be returned… After all, Xu Wusu had previously run around putting in great effort, calling himself the chief steward of the Five Dragons Society.
They bullied the weak and feared the strong, so naturally they could only come looking for him.
“Junior Brother has misunderstood.”
Fang Qing shook his head. “A few spiritual resources are not something I take to heart. It’s just… has Senior Brother Wulongzi said nothing at all?”
At this mention, Xu Wusu’s eyes dimmed. “Right now, his heart is set solely on Foundation Establishment. If he succeeds in establishing his foundation, perhaps he might still share some benefits with us. If he fails… hehe…”