Foundation Consolidation

After seeing off the Gu Family members who had come to help, the two returned to their cave mansion.

Zhou Er felt that Fanhua Island had been unsafe lately, so he went to find Gu Fan and said:

"Sister Fan, Fanhua Island hasn't been very safe lately. Why don't we move to Bashui Immortal City for a while and hire someone to look after the island?"

Hearing Zhou Er say this, Gu Fan looked hesitant.

Still, Zhou Er was right. After suffering such a disaster, Fanhua Island was no longer a suitable place to stay.

Besides, the island needed to be rebuilt, which would take both time and Spirit Stones.

"All right! Brother Er, we'll move back to Bashui Immortal City for now. But what if Sister Bai comes back and finds we're gone?"

Gu Fan eventually agreed with Zhou Er's idea, though she was still a little worried about Bai Zhuozhuo.

"We can leave someone here to notify her."

Zhou Er said.

Gu Fan nodded. She had a house in Bashui Immortal City, so moving there would not be difficult.

Since they were leaving Fanhua Island without anyone to guard it, they could not leave anything valuable behind.

Taking the opportunity, Zhou Er said:

"Sister Fan, your father-in-law's Golden Cicada Slough might get stolen if we leave it here. Let me put it away for you."

After saying this, he looked nervously at Gu Fan, afraid she might see through him.

"Then hold on to it for me."

Gu Fan had no suspicions. Since they were leaving Fanhua Island, they did need to pack up and could not leave such valuable things behind.

Zhou Er was overjoyed. He found an exquisite box and pretended to put the Golden Cicada Slough inside, while secretly equipping it in his Equipment Slot.

[Name: Zhou Er]

[ cultivation: Qi Refining Tenth Layer (57.81%)]

[Equipment Slot (3/3): Calm-spirit Cushion, Golden Cicada Slough, Storage Bag.]

[Unsolidified Attributes: Mind Stabilization, Cicada Concealment (Green), Void Breaking (White).]

[Solidified Attributes: Size Manipulation, Defensive Guard...]

Having obtained the Cicada Concealment attribute, Zhou Er felt much more at ease. Now, even if he faced the Gu Family's Golden Core Old Ancestor, he would not be afraid in the slightest.

After packing their things, Zhou Er and Gu Fan left Fanhua Island hand in hand.

As for the various matters on the island, they could hire clan members or other people to manage them later.

Although he could not entirely feel at ease with the island's affairs out of his hands, his safety was more important right now.

Bashui Immortal City was naturally safer than a small island.

Bashui Immortal City, Gu Family's old residence, in the Patriarch's courtyard.

The current Gu Family Patriarch, Gu Xingjian, learned that the Cultivator Robbers had failed and flew into a rage at the shadow before him:

"These are the people you found? I gave them an entire night, and they still couldn't take down a little island?"

The person in the shadow behind Gu Xingjian did not dare to speak.

Only after Gu Xingjian had finished berating him did he say:

"Master, all five of them were Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators. They even gathered more than a dozen other capable Cultivator Robbers. By rights, taking on a Talisman Master at Late-stage Qi Refining shouldn't have been difficult. No one could have known they'd be so useless."

The person in the shadow spoke without a trace of emotion.

"Useless!"

Gu Xingjian cursed, though it was unclear whether he meant the person in the shadow or the group of Cultivator Robbers.

The person in the shadow lowered his head and said nothing.

Gu Xingjian had fallen out with Gu Fan's father over the Family Grand Competition decades ago, but had kept his resentment hidden.

A few years ago, Gu Fan's father died at the hands of a group of demonic cultivators, and Gu Xingjian had been pleased for a while.

But at the time, Gu Fan's father had held great prestige in the family, so Gu Xingjian had not dared to lay a hand on her.

Now, after several years had passed and people had stopped paying attention to Gu Fan, he had wanted to eliminate the couple and reclaim a small island belonging to the family, then award it to a newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Even though Gu Fan's father had won the island himself, it had not had much to do with the Gu Family.

Gu Xingjian had arranged for men to carry out the deed, but the result was far from ideal.

Not only had they failed to kill their targets, they had driven them into Bashui Immortal City, making it even harder to strike again in the future.

But what was done was done, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Once he had calmed down, Gu Xingjian said:

"Make sure you clean up every trace."

"Yes!"

The person in the shadow bowed his head.

If he had hired a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the job would naturally have been a sure thing.

But a Foundation Establishment cultivator's involvement would inevitably make a huge commotion. This matter could not be made public, and Foundation Establishment cultivators were difficult to control. If word got out, Gu Xingjian's position as Patriarch would be in jeopardy.

Besides, if the Old Ancestor heard about it, Gu Xingjian might even face severe punishment. So he had played it safe and hired only Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivator Robbers.

Now everything had ended in a mess, and he still had to clean up after them.

On the day Zhou Er and Gu Fan returned to Bashui Immortal City, many Gu Family members came to pay their respects.

Gu Xingjian also made a special visit to show his concern.

"Fan'er, Xiao Cang, the most important thing is that you're both safe. I've already sent the family's elite, together with people from other families, to clear out the Cultivator Robbers downstream of Wangyue Lake. Those robbers are far too brazen—they actually dared to bully the Gu Family!"

Seeing how sincere Gu Xingjian seemed, Zhou Er felt that something was a little off, but his position made it inappropriate to say much. He simply stood beside Gu Fan and occasionally responded.

For the most part, Gu Fan was the one speaking with Gu Xingjian.

"Patriarch, you needn't go to so much trouble for us. We're both fine."

Gu Fan said.

"Fan'er, the family will stand up for you. Don't worry. We won't let this matter go so easily. We'll catch every one of those Cultivator Robbers who escaped."

Gu Xingjian said righteously.

Gu Fan did not have much to say. Although the family had failed to come to their aid at the most critical moment, Gu Xingjian's words still comforted her.

Zhou Er had little to add, so he simply played along with a few replies.

Though Zhou Er had barely made his presence felt, Gu Xingjian still steered the conversation toward him.

"Xiao Cang, you're quite capable. You actually managed to fight five Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivator Robbers. The Family Grand Competition is in a month. You should take part. If the Old Ancestor takes a liking to you, he might accept you as his disciple. You could also win all sorts of rewards for placing well, and first place even gets a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Patriarch, my abilities are modest. I'm afraid I can't compare with the clan's senior brothers."

Zhou Er hurriedly declined with a humble reply. He had no plans to enter the Family Grand Competition this year.

Especially after the recent attack by the Cultivator Robbers, he had become keenly aware of a lurking danger.

He still had room to improve, so it was best to quietly build up his strength and bide his time, rather than draw too much attention.

He understood the principle that a tree that stood above the forest would be battered by the wind.

Gu Xingjian made a token effort to persuade him, then said no more and left Gu Fan's home.

After Gu Xingjian left, Zhou Er looked at Gu Fan and said:

"Sister Fan, I still think there's something suspicious about this. I'm afraid someone was directing those Cultivator Robbers from behind the scenes."

"You suspect the Patriarch wanted to harm us?"

Gu Fan naturally understood what Zhou Er meant.

"Yes! Otherwise, why didn't the family's reinforcements arrive until dawn after we called for help?"

Zhou Er said.

"It was already the middle of the night. Everyone was probably asleep or cultivating and wouldn't be paying attention to messages from outside. Even if they got the news, it would still take time to gather people."

Gu Fan explained.

She knew how the family operated.

It was nothing unusual for aid to take this long. Unless an island outside Bashui Immortal City was especially important, its people had to grit their teeth and hold out on their own when trouble came.

Only a handful received help from the family quickly.

If you counted on the family's reinforcements, the grass on your grave would already be two or three meters high.

Of course, Zhou Er's suspicions were not without merit.

Gu Fan was no longer an innocent girl in her teens. She knew that the family was rife with struggles over interests, with the Patriarch and several powerful Elders constantly at odds.

If someone really wanted them eliminated, there was nothing impossible about taking advantage of them and swallowing their assets.

But it was all just speculation.

Without solid evidence, they could not make baseless accusations. They still had to keep up appearances and maintain a cordial relationship.

Seeing that Gu Fan understood, Zhou Er said no more.

Now that they were back in Bashui Immortal City, they could simply settle down and cultivate.

Ultimately, all their troubles stemmed from the fact that their Household had the right to use a fairly sizable island without having a Foundation Establishment cultivator to back it up. Their strength did not match the resources in their hands, so others coveted them.

There was only one way to break the deadlock: advance to Foundation Establishment.

Without strength, no amount of wealth could be defended.

Over the next month, Zhou Er devoted himself to cultivation and honing his spells.

Gu Fan arranged for people to handle the affairs on Fanhua Island and manage the island. With that taken care of, she had free time to cultivate properly.

In her spare time, Gu Fan also joined Zhou Er in studying talisman-making.

Her comprehension was average, and she learned slowly.

But they were not short of Spirit Stones, so they did not need to toil for a living and could take their time learning.

One day, Zhou Er was guiding Gu Fan's hand as she drew a talisman.

The restrictions around their home sounded an alert, letting them know they had a visitor.

Gu Fan immediately straightened her appearance and went out with Zhou Er to greet them.

The visitor wore a bamboo hat and a straw raincoat. Beneath the hat was a face both of them knew well, though it was haggard and weary.

"Sister Bai!"

Gu Fan cried out excitedly.

She and Bai Zhuozhuo had grown up together and were as close as sisters. Seeing her return safely made Gu Fan as happy as a little girl.

But her smile did not last long. She saw that Bai Zhuozhuo's left arm was gone.

"Sister Bai, your arm..."

Gu Fan said, worried.

"Miss Fan, something went wrong in Yunmeng Marsh. Wugu Dao Demon Spawn had infiltrated the place, and poison from one of them got into my left hand. I could only cut off my own arm to save my life and make it back."

Bai Zhuozhuo managed a faint smile when she saw Gu Fan.

"Sister Bai, you're in this state, and you can still smile!"

Seeing her like this, Gu Fan chided her.

"I thought I was going to die. To have made it back alive at all was thanks to my venerable master's protection."

Bai Zhuozhuo walked into the courtyard.

Then she took a jade box from her Storage Bag and said:

"Although Wugu Dao Demon Spawn caused chaos in the secret realm, I didn't come away empty-handed. Look—what do you think this is?"

When the jade box opened, a crystal-clear white pill lay inside. Fine golden patterns glimmered across its coating.

"A Standard Quality Foundation Establishment Pill from the Yunmeng Sect."

Gu Fan recognized the pill, but barely glanced at it. Her eyes were fixed on Bai Zhuozhuo's severed arm, full of sorrow.

"Sister Bai, you must have risked your life to get this Foundation Establishment Pill."

Gu Fan knew Bai Zhuozhuo had gone through far more than she was letting on.

"I got three Standard Quality Foundation Establishment Pills. That's just right—one each for me, you, and your husband."

Bai Zhuozhuo took out two more jade boxes and handed one to each of them.

Zhou Er wanted one, but he knew Bai Zhuozhuo had risked her life to get it, so he said:

"Sister Bai, one Foundation Establishment Pill may not be enough to guarantee you'll break through. You should keep this one for yourself."

"Son-in-law, I've lost an arm, and my cultivation has fallen badly. I probably won't be able to use this Foundation Establishment Pill for the next few years. Your talent is even better than mine, and you may be able to attempt Foundation Establishment within the next two years. Once you succeed, protect Miss well. That would be the greatest repayment you could give me."

Bai Zhuozhuo looked at Zhou Er and said.

"Sister Fan and I are Dao Companions. Even without this Foundation Establishment Pill, I'd do everything I could to keep her safe."

Zhou Er glanced at Gu Fan as he spoke.

His words made Gu Fan blush, but she could not spare a thought for that now. She was more worried about Bai Zhuozhuo's injury.

"Sister Bai, can your arm be reattached?"

Gu Fan asked.

"I'm afraid not. My severed arm has already been corroded by the poison from those Wugu Dao Demon Spawn. To get a lost limb back, I'd probably need a Medical Dao Master to help."

Bai Zhuozhuo said helplessly.

Losing an arm had greatly reduced her chances of reaching Foundation Establishment.

Even with a Foundation Establishment Pill now, her odds of success were not good.

Of course, there was still some hope.

She planned to stabilize her cultivation before looking for other solutions.

If that did not work, she could stay on Fanhua Island and live out the rest of her days there. That would not be so bad.

Perhaps one day she could teach swordsmanship to Gu Fan's descendants.

"Miss, please don't worry about my arm anymore. I managed to bring back three Foundation Establishment Pills and return alive. That's already pretty good. I'm more worried about you two. I heard you ran into Cultivator Robbers."

Bai Zhuozhuo asked with concern.

She had been away for nearly half a year, and the disaster that had befallen Fanhua Island made her feel guilty.

"It's all right. Brother Er protected me. Sister Bai, we'll be staying in Bashui Immortal City for the next few days. Rest and recover. I'll ask around and see if I can find a physician in the city for you."

Gu Fan said.

There was no way she could simply leave Bai Zhuozhuo to fend for herself.

"No need, Miss. An Elder of the Yunmeng Sect already examined my injury and treated it as much as possible."

Bai Zhuozhuo knew that healing her arm would be incredibly costly.

Besides, the only Golden Core physician in Bashui Immortal City was the Old Ancestor of the Liu Family. He certainly wouldn't help them.

"Sister Bai, I'll make sure you get better."

Gu Fan said firmly, leaving no room for refusal.

After that, the three of them talked about how to distribute the Foundation Establishment Pills.

Zhou Er tried to refuse several times, but in the end, he still accepted one.

Just as Bai Zhuozhuo had told her, she couldn't use one right now. Zhou Er could take the pill first, then repay her after he succeeded in Foundation Establishment.

Before putting the Foundation Establishment Pill into his Storage Bag, he looked at its attributes.

[Foundation Establishment Pill: A Standard Quality Foundation Establishment Pill that increases the chance of successful Foundation Establishment by thirty percent and protects vital areas such as the meridians and dantian during the process.]

[Equipped Attributes: Foundation Consolidation (White).]

[Foundation Consolidation (White): Stabilizes the meridians and dantian, increasing the chance of successful Foundation Establishment by twenty percent.]

[Solidification Condition: Reach the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining at full perfection. (10/12)]

[Equip?]

With the Foundation Establishment Pill and the Foundation Consolidation attribute, Zhou Er had at least a fifty-percent chance of successfully achieving Foundation Establishment—far luckier than most people.

Still, Zhou Er had never believed in luck.

A fifty-percent chance of Foundation Establishment was too low. He would have to find another way to improve his odds.

Of course, breaking through to the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining would give him a ten-to-twenty-percent chance of Foundation Establishment on its own.

Added together, his odds would be close to seventy percent.