Preparing for Foundation Establishment

Among Tamed Beasts, Flying Mounts were far more sought-after than other Tamed Beasts. In particular, Tamed Beasts raised from a young age could reach a state of mutual understanding with their masters.

Yu Ke'er coveted this Black Scale Eagle for two reasons. First, this Black Scale Eagle had mutated, making both its strength and bloodline stronger.

Second, she cultivated archery. If she had a powerful Flying Mount, it would greatly boost her strength.

Unfortunately, how could Su Yu possibly spit out meat that had already reached his mouth and give it to her?

The Black Scale Eagle and the Earth Fire Ape were two Tamed Beasts: one possessed tremendous ground combat power, while the other was formidable in the air. Working together, they could absolutely provide Su Yu with far greater security.

Of course, that was on the condition that he raised them properly.

Not only did Su Yu refuse to give Yu Ke'er the Black Scale Eagle Egg, he also obtained from her the payment she had previously received for refining Beast Luring Powder: one of the core ingredients for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

With that added in, the Su Family now possessed three core ingredients for refining a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Yu Ke'er remained at Cloud Mountain Market for another half year before vanishing without a trace.

Su Yu stayed at the Alchemy Pavilion. Aside from his daily cultivation, he now also studied the three supplementary professions of alchemy, Talismans, and puppetry.

As a Puppet Master, with the inheritance he had obtained from the Ancient Jade Box, Su Yu progressed at a rapid pace.

And while staying in the market, it was not difficult for him to gather materials for Puppet Beasts.

Time flashed by.

Two years later.

In the rear courtyard of the Alchemy Pavilion.

Su Yu formed hand seals and cast a spell. Wooden vines burst from the ground in an instant, binding a ten-foot-tall Puppet Beast before him.

Just as Su Yu was about to seize the chance to attack the Puppet Beast, it struggled fiercely.

Bang!!!

All the wooden vines snapped apart in an instant.

The pitch-black Puppet Beast, shaped like a shadow panther, flickered like a ghost and appeared before Su Yu in a flash.

One sharp claw pressed against Su Yu's throat.

Having reached the same result yet again, Su Yu sighed softly and admitted defeat.

Without using the power of his Body Refining Technique, relying solely on the mana cultivation of the First Cycle Sixth Turn Qi Refining Sixth Layer, trying to contend with a Top Grade Rank 1 Puppet Beast was truly a fool's dream. He had been thinking too much.

Power comparable to the ninth layer of Qi Refining was simply beyond comparison to the sixth layer of Qi Refining.

Screech! Screech! Screech!

On a large tree not far away, the Earth Fire Ape, covered in crimson fur and already six or seven feet tall, had long since reached the middle stage of Rank 1. It shrieked at the Puppet Beast while clutching a Low-grade Magical Artifact staff, restless and eager to join its master in taking down this black thing and smashing it to death with one blow.

On the rooftop behind them, the Black Scale Eagle, covered in dark black scales and possessing a majestic yet somewhat strange appearance, stood around four feet tall. Its eyes glinted coldly as it stared at the Puppet Beast as though looking at a dead man.

Though it did not cry out or make any movement, if Su Yu gave the order, it would definitely deliver a fatal strike to that black fellow.

These two fellows were not intelligent enough to understand that this thing was a Puppet Beast refined by their master, not an enemy.

"You're just asking to be beaten. Even I might not be able to handle this thing unless I used Talismans or something else... But using Talismans against a Puppet Beast would probably greatly reduce their effectiveness."

Under the eaves, Su Yun's silver-white hair draped over his shoulders. Dressed in a gray robe, he looked at the Puppet Beast and exclaimed, "If I faced it, I'd rather trap it and flee immediately. This fellow's body is comparable to a Mid-grade Defensive Magical Artifact!"

Hearing this blow from his master, Su Yu merely smiled and said nothing.

He had actually wanted to familiarize himself with the power at different cultivation levels. Since he began cultivating, he had only personally fought once.

Once he understood the power of each cultivation level, he would not panic when facing them in the future.

Su Yun was very satisfied with the Puppet Beast's strength, but found its cost somewhat hard to accept.

Over the past two years, Su Yu had refined thirteen Puppet Beasts.

From Low-grade Rank 1 Puppet Beasts to Top Grade Rank 1 Puppet Beasts, he had spent two to three thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones. The one before them in particular had materials worth nearly a thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones alone—expensive enough to make one shudder.

If not for that, Su Yun truly would have wanted Su Yu to refine a few more.

Su Yun chatted with Su Yu for a while before leaving.

Su Yu waved his hand and put away the Puppet Beast. Looking at the Earth Fire Ape and Black Scale Eagle, he let out a soft sigh.

Over these two years, the Azure Wood Age Wheel Art had successfully broken through to the First Cycle Sixth Turn, bringing his cultivation to the sixth layer of Qi Refining. Meanwhile, the Crocodile Demon's 108 Forms Body Refining Technique had broken through to the eighth layer, greatly increasing his strength.

However, he was already thirty this year. Fourteen years had passed since he had been eliminated from the Cloud Sword Sect novice disciples selection.

At this rate, he might not reach Foundation Establishment until he was fifty or sixty.

"Twenty or thirty years... It won't take that long. In perhaps another eight or ten years, the Earth Fire Ape and Black Scale Eagle may be raised into Rank 2 demonic beasts." Su Yu pondered inwardly, then developed a slight headache.

These two fellows' appetites were growing larger and larger. Raising two Tamed Beasts was already becoming more than he could bear.

Of course.

That was mainly because he had fallen into the pit of Puppet Beasts.

Added to that were the resources consumed by cultivating his mana and Body Refining Technique.

Over the years, nearly all the Spirit Stones Su Yu had saved had been poured into them.

Normally, he had to secretly sell Talismans and even Puppet Beasts just to barely maintain a balance between income and expenses.

"I need to find a way to expand. Otherwise, for Rank 2 Puppet Beasts in the future..." Su Yu pondered. Cloud Mountain Market was still a little too small. If things continued like this and he wanted a better cultivation environment, he would have to consider moving elsewhere.

"Young Master, your letter." A young maid delivered a letter.

Su Yu accepted and opened it, immediately overjoyed. "Preparing for Foundation Establishment... This is good news!"

A few days later.

Su Zhi, Chen Sisi, and Su Qingyi arrived at the Alchemy Pavilion. Su Zhi was less than half a month older than Su Yu, and she too was already thirty.

Yet Su Zhi looked little different from before, still appearing to be a young girl.

Her cultivation had already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining.

Chen Sisi was two years younger than Su Zhi. Her appearance had changed somewhat, but she had become more mature and alluring. If Su Zhi was still a young girl, then Chen Sisi was a sect matron, skilled in preserving her looks.

Chen Sisi's cultivation was slightly weaker, currently at the eighth layer of Qi Refining Realm.

Last was Su Qingyi... His changes were rather significant. His body had become somewhat fatter, and he had lost an arm. Once a rather handsome youth, he was now trending toward becoming a middle-aged man with a potbelly. Though he tried to conceal it, the gloominess on his face could still be seen.

It seemed the injuries he had suffered back then had affected him greatly.

His cultivation was now at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining.

After chatting for a while, Su Zhi said, "Recently, the Demon Path has been running rampant. I selected one ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator among them to complete a sect mission. Adding the contribution points I had accumulated before, I barely have enough to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"I hope everything goes smoothly."

Su Yu smiled and took out some of the items the family had asked him to prepare.

They included Talismans, pills, and even that Top Grade Rank 1 Puppet Beast.

The family provided Spirit Stones and resources, and when Su Zhi was about to attempt Foundation Establishment, Su Yu naturally had no objection to giving her another push.

With the Spirit Stones and resources from the family, he could at least tinker together two Top Grade Rank 1 Puppet Beasts.

Not only would he not lose out, he would even make a profit.

After all, his true success rate in refining things was exceptionally high.

No one besides him knew that.

And once Su Zhi successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, with a Cloud Sword Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator backing them, along with the Su Family's Fifth Elder, also at the Foundation Establishment stage, their Su Family could barely be considered a major cultivation family within Cloud Sword Sect territory.

Even powers like the Huang Family would have to weigh the gains and losses before confronting the Su Family.

The Su Family had invested heavily in Su Zhi precisely to push her into the Foundation Establishment stage and make her the Su Family's support.

Now, whether the Su Family's power could rise to the next level depended on this final shudder.