Hatching

Low-grade and Mid-grade Magical Artifacts were suited to the Qi Refining Realm, while High-grade Magical Artifacts were suited to the Foundation Establishment stage. Supreme-grade Artifacts corresponded to the level of Golden Core True Persons.

Although the Heavenly Net Umbrella was only an Incomplete Supreme Artifact, to a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, it was a priceless treasure.

A treasure valuable enough for Demon Path cultivator Blood Saber Luo Bang to risk entering Cloud Mountain Market and seize by force.

"The man who tried to snatch the Foundation Establishment Pill earlier should have been the bandit cultivator 'Ghost Head Golden Condor.' He cultivates Gold attribute spiritual power, possesses immense strength, and his methods are exceptionally brutal." Only after Blood Saber Luo Bang fled the market did Su Yun truly breathe a sigh of relief.

He spoke of the person who had tried to take the Foundation Establishment Pill.

With a grave expression, Su Yun said, "But as far as I know, Ghost Head Golden Condor has always operated near Moon Worship Immortal City. He rarely appears around here."

"There was no reason for him to come all the way to an unfamiliar place just for an auction held by Cloud Mountain Trading Company."

Unable to make sense of it, Su Yun told Su Yu to go out less often recently.

As for the Foundation Establishment Pill, Su Yun did not intend to send it back to the family at Azure Mountain in Jiang City.

Instead, he informed the family and had them select someone willing to take the Foundation Establishment Pill and attempt a breakthrough, then send them to Cloud Mountain Market.

There, they could borrow the spiritual qi of the second-grade Spirit Vein at the heart of the market's Core Area, as well as its defenses, to attempt a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment stage.

Over the following days.

Before the family members arrived at Cloud Mountain Market, news repeatedly came from outside the market that bandit cultivators had appeared and cultivators had been ambushed and killed.

It seemed that quite a few bandit cultivators had gathered near Cloud Mountain Market, leaving the merchants and cultivators within the market tense.

Fortunately, not long afterward, several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Cloud Sword Sect mobilized. Leading the sect's outer and inner disciples, they patrolled everywhere and hunted down the bandit cultivators, restoring peace to the area around Cloud Mountain Market.

However, this had little to do with Su Yu.

Su Yun was busy preparing for the family's decision over who would attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, not daring to be the slightest bit careless.

After returning, Su Yu took out the Earthfire Ape demonic beast egg, which had been born somewhat deficient, and examined it.

"To hatch it, aside from letting it absorb the spiritual qi from spirit stones on its own, I can also infuse it with spiritual power to help it grow and hatch." Su Yu felt somewhat expectant. The Earth Fire Ape's demonic beast bloodline was passable enough.

At least, it was decent within the territory of the Cloud Sword Sect.

Though it could not compare to the beast pet he had in that immortal cultivation game, one with the bloodline of a great demon from the immortal realm.

Still, this was only the early stage—

Or rather, the beginner village stage.

If he could have an Earth Fire Ape as a tamed beast, his days cultivating in the Alchemy Pavilion would not be so boring.

And taking it out with him would be rather impressive as well.

Of course, that was assuming he could keep the violent Earth Fire Ape under control.

He tried infusing his own spiritual power into the demonic beast egg, which was a full foot in size. The egg was crimson throughout, like an enormous ruby, though its surface was covered in vein-like patterns.

He could also sense within it a vast aura of life, as well as the scorching aura of the Earth Fire Ape bloodline.

The instant the spiritual power of Su Yu's Azure Wood Age Wheel Art entered the demonic beast egg, the egg trembled slightly. In the next moment, a faint suction force came from within it.

It seemed to desperately want to absorb Su Yu's spiritual power.

Through the Azure Wood Age Wheel Art's acute sensitivity to life aura, Su Yu was somewhat surprised to discover that this unborn Earth Fire Ape was especially thirsty for his spiritual power. He could vaguely sense its immature consciousness.

"I... I want... to drink."

After infusing sixty percent of his spiritual power, Su Yu stopped.

He never exhausted all the spiritual power in his body, even when he was safely within the Alchemy Pavilion.

Running out of spiritual power was extremely dangerous. At that point, he could only rely on his Body Refining Technique.

It gave him an intense sense of insecurity.

Using sixty percent of his spiritual power while retaining forty percent was just right.

From the Earthfire Ape demonic beast egg, Su Yu sensed the joy of that immature consciousness, chattering away nonstop.

The scorching aura around the demonic beast egg also seemed to have grown stronger.

Several days passed like this. Every day, Su Yu infused the Earthfire Ape demonic beast egg with spiritual power to hatch it. Then, to his surprise, he discovered that the egg's originally somewhat weak aura, born of its innate deficiency, seemed to have returned to normal.

It was even growing stronger.

Seven days later.

Su Family Grand Elder Su Mengshan and Fifth Elder Su Bin arrived at Cloud Mountain Market.

Originally, Su Yu had thought that the person taking the Foundation Establishment Pill would be either the Grand Elder or the Family Head. He had not expected it to be Fifth Elder Su Bin.

Moreover, Su Bin's cultivation was not the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining that he displayed, but the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

After handing the Foundation Establishment Pill to Su Bin, Grand Elder Su Mengshan accompanied him to the market's Core Area to rent a Cave Dwelling.

Seeing Su Yu's surprised expression, Su Yun said, "Back then, Old Fifth was the most talented genius of our Su Family. Before he was even forty, he had already reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining."

"It was only because of an accident later on, and because the family had great difficulty obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills, that his progress was delayed."

"Having Old Fifth attempt a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment stage is the best choice."

After thinking it over for a moment, Su Yu felt that it made sense.

Family Head Su Peng, Grand Elder Su Mengshan, and Second Elder Su Yun were all at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. However, Grand Elder Su Mengshan was too old, already nearly a hundred.

Even though he cultivated the Wutong Greenwood Art, which could extend one's lifespan by twenty years, he was already in his twilight years.

His chance of successfully breaking through after taking a flawed Foundation Establishment Pill was not high.

Family Head Su Peng was still at a suitable age, not yet sixty and still in his prime, but the family's current situation was far from good.

Once he failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, he would surely suffer severe damage to his vitality, which would affect the entire Su Family.

Therefore, Family Head Su Peng was not a suitable candidate for the time being.

As for Second Elder Su Yun—

Years of alchemy had left his personal combat strength lacking. Even if Su Yun broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, his value to the Su Family would not compare to Fifth Elder Su Bin's.

What the Su Family needed now was a Foundation Establishment cultivator with formidable strength!

While Fifth Elder Su Bin went to the market's Core Area to attempt a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment stage, Su Yu also successfully hatched an Earth Fire Ape Cub in the Alchemy Pavilion.

For this, he even went to the Heavenly Script Pavilion and bought a beast-taming art, completing the bonding ritual with the Earth Fire Ape Cub.

Unlike ordinary Earth Fire Apes, the cub born from this Earthfire Ape demonic beast egg had been cleansed by the spiritual power of Su Yu's Azure Wood Age Wheel Art. The violent aura on its body was not strong, and its pair of adorably dazed, watery eyes were as clear as rubies.

The occasional gleam of sharp intelligence revealed that this little fellow was not lacking in wisdom.

The moment it broke out of its demonic beast egg, it opened its eyes wide and stared at Su Yu. Then it ran forward, hugged Su Yu's leg, and tried to climb into his arms, chirping cutely and foolishly.

Seeing the Earth Fire Ape Cub born, Su Yun rarely showed a smile. Delighted, he clapped his hands and said, "A Rank 2 demonic beast bloodline!"

"Raise it well. In the future, it will become your greatest help!"

Likewise.

If it grew into a Rank 2 demonic beast, it would become the Su Family's strongest guardian beast.

At least, that was how Su Yun saw it.

In his delight, Su Yun tossed the Earth Fire Ape a low-grade Rank 1 Hundred Beasts Pill.

This was a medicinal pill refined primarily from Monster Beast Essence Blood. Its main purpose was to serve as food and a cultivation resource for beast tamers' tamed beasts.

PS: Correcting some earlier errors regarding the characters.

The one responsible for the Su Family's main clan affairs was Grand Elder Su Mengshan.

The one responsible for the Alchemy Pavilion at Cloud Mountain Market was Second Elder Su Yun.

The one responsible for the medicinal garden was Third Elder Su Chang.

Fourth Elder Su Ruosu.

Fifth Elder Su Bin.

At the beginning, the title of Second Elder was mainly mixed up. It has now been corrected according to the above.

If there is anything else that seems wrong, leave a comment and the author will find an opportunity to revise it.