"What... was that Core Formation?"
As a standard ant of the cultivation world, after watching spectacles such as the Core Formation battle and the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent's tribulation crossing from beneath the protection of the formation, Fang Qing's heart burned hot. He wished he could immediately return to seclusion and cultivate until he reached Foundation Establishment and Core Formation before emerging again!
But he knew that was merely a beautiful fantasy.
Without a Foundation Establishment Pill, what was he supposed to use to charge into Foundation Establishment—his head?
After returning to his cave abode, Fang Qing began studying Plum Blossom Divination and could not resist casting several more hexagrams.
"Hm? Azure Sea Sect's fortune is concealed in darkness? It bears the aspect of great prosperity..."
Following the hexagrams to calculate Causality, he received a revelation: "Outer Core... Tide-Birth Pearl? No, I can't calculate any further. This involves Core Formation, a Third-Order realm... Even with the status of the Dao-Born Pearl, the gap between major realms is simply too great..."
After his previous experience, he understood that divination required reverence for the will of Heaven.
After resting briefly, Fang Qing could not resist again and began calculating his Foundation Establishment opportunity, especially the whereabouts of a Foundation Establishment Pill. It would be best if there were an ownerless one.
Then, his calculations led him to Elder Tianding...
"Plum Blossom Divination first calculates those bound to me by Causality... I am a disciple of Pill Island, so being entangled with Elder Tianding is entirely reasonable..."
Fang Qing then calculated the whereabouts of Core Formation spirit herbs, only to receive a blank expanse!
"The cultivation world is incomparably vast. Even if the Lesser Vast Sea has no Core Formation spirit herbs, the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm surely does! I cannot calculate them... Is the first reason that my realm is insufficient, and the second that there is no causal connection?"
He rubbed his nose and, at some point, saw crimson red again.
"As expected... even here, I cannot act without restraint."
Fang Qing swallowed a healing pill and silently regulated his breathing. Then his heart stirred, and he thought again of that flash of red.
He silently calculated Zha Zhu's Causality. "High-Grade Water Spirit Root, Origin Pearl Physique? If the Sea-Mixing Flood Serpent had devoured her, perhaps it could have endured all nine Heavenly Tribulations..."
"What a pity... her fragrance vanished and her jade perished."
"Hua Lian... unexpectedly knew nothing of this secret. He merely contacted the Zhong Family's people to pull off a job... yet he accidentally shattered the flood serpent's hope of advancing. Was that the will of Heaven?"
Myriad Treasures Island, Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs.
The hall that had once been deserted was exceptionally lively today.
Many disciples stared at the rankings on the battle merit board, shouting in excitement. Others looked at the exchange list, drooling so hard it seemed they might lose themselves. "Foundation Establishment Pills! You can actually exchange directly for Foundation Establishment Pills?!"
Fang Qing glanced over it as well and secretly nodded. "So many disciples died. They had to make some sort of gesture. Releasing a few Foundation Establishment Pills is only proper."
He looked at the battle merit board. The list did not include cultivators above Foundation Establishment, so the top-ranked name was Death-Seeking Sword, Cui Zhe.
With his battle merits, he should be able to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.
If he obtained the position of True Disciple a few years later, he would have two chances at Foundation Establishment. He could practically already be regarded as a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Senior Brother, have you come to check your Contribution Points?"
The moment Fang Qing arrived at the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs and found an administrative disciple, he received an enthusiastic welcome.
After all, he was now a Late Qi Refinement cultivator. Even among the sect's many Qi Refinement cultivators, he was undoubtedly an expert.
Not to mention that after a great battle, Late Qi Refinement cultivators had suffered grievous casualties. Every one of those left standing was a ruthless character.
"Correct."
Fang Qing handed over his disciple token.
"Senior Brother slew a powerful Late Qi Refinement enemy?"
After checking the records, the disciple gave Fang Qing a somewhat admiring glance. "This counts as a major merit. According to the sect's newly issued rules, you are awarded one thousand Contribution Points. In addition, there was your previous garrison mission. Though it failed, you still receive one hundred basic Contribution Points... Lastly, now that the great battle has ended, the sect is issuing rewards to every disciple. Late Qi Refinement cultivators receive five hundred Contribution Points... If Senior Brother wishes to exchange for items, now is the best opportunity."
Fang Qing nodded slightly and looked toward the exchange list.
"The Zhong Family has withdrawn, and the war is over... The prices of magical artifacts have immediately plunged!"
"But according to my calculations, another great battle will likely break out within a few years. Could I stockpile a batch now, then sell them after prices soar and reap enormous profits?"
"Wait... if I am still relying on hoarding magical artifacts to earn spirit stones a few years from now, wouldn't these years have been wasted?"
His thoughts ran wild, but his Spiritual Sense was extraordinarily useful. He selected the main ingredients for many batches of Qi Refining Powder. "I'll exchange for these first."
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
Seeing Fang Qing exchange for medicinal ingredients, the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs disciple became even more respectful.
After all, this was an alchemist! One who was even suspected of being able to refine First-Order high-grade pills!
On Pill Island, he could have been like Five Dragons Child, gathering a group of mid- and low-level disciples to form a small faction.
One could only say that Fang Qing had no such ambitions.
"Wait... I wonder how that bunch from the Five Dragons Society is doing, especially Five Dragons Child and Xu Wusu?"
As Fang Qing pondered this, the duty disciple had already handed him a storage pouch filled with medicinal ingredients. "Senior Brother, everything you exchanged for is inside. Since the expenditure is substantial, please leave your signature as proof."
"Mm."
Fang Qing agreed and looked at the disciple holding out the account book. Suddenly, he smiled. "Senior Brother Hua..."
"Junior Brother Fang?"
Hua Lian was equally astonished upon seeing Fang Qing. "You... broke through to Late Qi Refinement?"
"Yes. At the brink of life and death, there is always some progress to be made."
Fang Qing answered politely.
Though he had already decided in his heart to eliminate this smiling tiger, his outward manner became even more courteous.
"Then I must congratulate Junior Brother. It is only a pity that we broke through too late. Otherwise, riding this east wind, Foundation Establishment might have been within reach..."
Hua Lian sighed somewhat. Although he had used the previous recruitment campaign to secretly trap a group of elite disciples and make a hefty profit,
those gains had been spirit stones and supplies... They could not be converted into Contribution Points, much less exchanged for a Foundation Establishment Pill!
Still, given the Hua Family of Flying Fish Island's merits in this battle, the Zhong Family surely would not begrudge them a few Foundation Establishment pills.
Perhaps in several years, he would become a great Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Since he happened to have encountered an acquaintance, and though Hua Lian harbored ill intentions, he had always treated him well on the surface, Fang Qing casually asked about the Five Dragons Society.
"The Five Dragons Society... it truly is rather regrettable." Hua Lian first sighed, then continued, "I heard that this time, many Five Dragons Society members on the front lines joined forces and handed all their Contribution Points to Five Dragons Child. They nearly had enough to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill... Unfortunately, the earlier defeat at sea was disastrous. Several Five-Tusk Warships were sunk, and Five Dragons Society members suffered terrible casualties. Still, Senior Brother Five Dragons Child should have returned safely to the sect..."
Fang Qing fell silent for a moment, then asked, "How is Xu Wusu?"
"He returned safely as well, but his Dantian Qi Sea was damaged, and his cultivation fell to Early Qi Refinement... Without Second-Order miraculous pills, I fear he will find it difficult to recover his cultivation for the rest of his life."
Hua Lian had clearly seen such things many times. "Perhaps before long, Junior Brother Xu will retire to his hometown and start branches and leaves anew... Many Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment lineages beneath the sect's rule began this way."
"His Dantian Qi Sea was injured?"
Fang Qing froze. This was an injury even more damaging to one's Dao Path than losing a limb. "Sigh... It seems Junior Brother Xu was fated to suffer this calamity. I wonder whether Senior Brother Five Dragons Child can exchange for a miraculous pill for him?"
"I doubt it..."
The sneer on Hua Lian's face flashed away in an instant. "Five Dragons Child has enough Contribution Points to exchange for a Second-Order spirit pill that can repair Xu Wusu's dantian, but the price would be nearly emptying all of his merits from this battle... He was 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. Only after a long while did he speak. "Naturally, I would not."
"Exactly..."
Hua Lian waved his hand.
Fang Qing walked out of the Palace of Miscellaneous Affairs and looked up at the gloomy sky.
The surrounding disciples either beamed with joy that the great battle had ended or grew excited over the rare treasures on the exchange list.
As for those who had died or been crippled, no one paid them any heed!
This was what cultivators were like!
Cultivation was merciless!
Lakeside Manor.
It had to be said that Azure Sea Sect was exceedingly realistic.
When Xu Wusu's cultivation became Early Qi Refinement and could no longer improve, he requested to be demoted to an outer sect disciple, and his cave abode was moved to Lakeside Manor.
Only after asking around all the way did Fang Qing arrive before Xu Wusu's courtyard.
The sole advantage of Lakeside Manor was that its cave abodes were spacious enough. Xu Wusu had even enclosed the area before his wooden hut with a fence, within which he grew some worthless spirit grass.
"Junior Brother... Xu."
When Fang Qing arrived, Xu Wusu was watering the spirit grass.
Yet the Xu Wusu before Fang Qing's eyes no longer resembled the man from before. Not only had his hair turned gray-white, but he also looked considerably older overall.
"So it is Senior Brother... Fang."
Xu Wusu stopped what he was doing and sensed the powerful spiritual pressure around Fang Qing. "I have yet to congratulate you on advancing to Late Qi Refinement..."
"Junior Brother, do not 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 longer any Five Dragons Society."
Xu Wusu only gave a bitter smile. "After the great battle, the Five Dragons Society suffered grievous casualties. Many survivors saw my present fate and directly withdrew from the society... I presume Senior Brother came here today for the same reason? But I no longer have any spirit stones. If you want the withdrawal fee back, I fear I cannot provide it..."
Under the shadow of life and death, everything became clear.
Five Dragons Child had not even been willing to treat him. Any promise of helping him attain Foundation Establishment in the future could only be a joke!
Thus, many Five Dragons Society members demanded the return of the spirit stones and supplies they had previously contributed... Xu Wusu had run himself ragged before, proudly calling himself the Five Dragons Society's chief steward, hadn't he?
They bullied the weak and feared the strong, so naturally, they could only come after him.
"Junior Brother misunderstands."
Fang Qing shook his head. "I do not care about such trifling Spirit Assets. It is only that... did Senior Brother Five Dragons Child say nothing at all?"
At the mention of this, Xu Wusu's eyes dimmed. "Right now, he only has Foundation Establishment on his mind. If he succeeds, perhaps he may still share a little sweetness with us. If he fails... heh heh..."
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