Seeing Myself in the Mirror of My Father [Bonus Chapter for Karma Retribution's Tip]
Ten days later, Chen Nianzhi rode the Blazing Fire Return-to-Ruins Sword back to Yu Commandery.
Instead of returning to Spirit Isle Lake first, he went directly to Peaceful Sun City and found the Old Clan Leader who had just emerged from seclusion.
At this point, Chen Changxuan's injuries had mostly healed, and he was no longer in serious danger. He only needed a year of rest to fully recover.
After finding the Old Clan Leader, Chen Nianzhi told him about the three Foundation-Building Pill and the Seven-Star Demon-Slaying Ark she had brought back.
The Old Granduncle looked at the Foundation-Building Pill and the Seven-Star Demon-Slaying Ark and couldn't help but reveal a look of wild joy.
"Although slaying the Purple Mansion Demon Beast was dangerous, obtaining two third-tier Law Treasure and three Foundation-Building Pill was a truly unexpected delight."
"As expected, great risks bring great rewards. If it weren't so dangerous, I would have gone to hunt down the Purple Mansion Demon Beast myself."
Chen Nianzhi shook his head and chuckled. Hunting down Purple Mansion Demon Beast was no easy task. He and the Old Clan Leader working together were enough to fight against six ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator. That was powerful enough, wasn't it?
However, if they were to encounter Demon Beast at its peak in the Early Purple Mansion realm, they might not be able to save their lives.
The Old Clan Leader suppressed his excitement and asked, "What are your plans for these Foundation-Building Pill?"
Chen Nianzhi pondered for a moment, and after a long while, he said directly, "In the Lineage, there are only seven cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining who are no more than sixty years old."
"With the impending Beast Turmoil, it's best to use these Foundation-Building Pill as soon as possible to enhance our strength. Nianming, Nianguo, and Nianfeng have just broken through to the ninth Ninth Layer of Qi Refining; they still need at least five or six years to hone their skills."
"The only suitable candidates left are Uncle Qingyu, Nianchuan, Xian Ling, Xian Yan."
As Chen Nianzhi recounted the story, the Old Clan Leader quickly understood the identities of the four people. He pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Xian Ling Xian Yan are not yet thirty. If they use the Foundation Establishment Pill now, they will have another chance to break through to the Purple Mansion in the future. So, give them the two Foundation-Building Pill first."
"As for Qingyu and Nianchuan..."
Upon hearing the mention of these two individuals, the Old Clan Leader fell into deep thought.
Chen Qingyu was Chen Changming's seventeenth son. Back then, Chen Changming was ninety-nine years old, yet he still dragged his frail body to activate the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation to eliminate the great enemy Zhang Old Devil for the Lineage, making a significant contribution.
Now, Old Granduncle Chen Changming is 117 years old and wants to see Chen Qingyu Foundation Establishment before he dies.
Chen Nianchuan is the youngest son of the Second Elder, Chen Qinghe. The Second Elder's contributions to the Lineage over the years are self-evident. Before his death, he was reluctant to use the Foundation-Building Pill and asked Chen Nianzhi to bring it back for the Lineage.
These two candidates not only gave Chen Nianzhi a headache, but even the Old Clan Leader found them somewhat troublesome.
After a long pause, Chen Changxuan finally said, "Both of them have Three Element Spiritual Root, their talents are almost the same, and their contributions are not significantly different."
"However, Nianchuan is forty-nine years old this year, so perhaps he can wait for another fortuitous opportunity."
"But Chen Qingyu is already fifty-eight years old, and we can't wait any longer. Let's give this Foundation-Building Pill to Chen Qingyu."
As Chen Nianzhi listened, she felt a pang of melancholy.
The fortuitous opportunity the Foundation-Building Pill is extremely rare. Chen Nianchuan only has twelve years to wait. Now, with the Beast Turmoil imminent, the Lineage's chances of obtaining the Foundation-Building Pill during this time are actually quite slim.
"Well!"
Chen Nianzhi sighed, but there really wasn't a better way.
He suppressed his thoughts, then suddenly remembered the past that Jiang Linglong was unwilling to talk about, so he asked.
"Old Granduncle, do you know anything about the shores of the East Sea Shore?"
"The East Sea Shore?"
Chen Changxuan frowned and shook his head, saying, "The East Sea Shore is separated from the Eastern Wilderness by hundreds of millions of miles of mountains and rivers. It is said that even Nascent Soul True Lord have to take an inter-state Teleportation Array to get there."
"Given the great distance, I know very little about what's happening over there."
"I see." Chen Nianzhi was somewhat disappointed, but still asked unwillingly, "Do you know if any major events have happened over there in the last few hundred years?"
"Major events of the last few centuries?"
The Old Clan Leader pondered for a moment, and after a long while, he spoke, "Two hundred years ago, a world-shaking event did indeed occur in the East Sea."
"It's said that the once-in-a-millennium Abyssal Demon Calamity has erupted, and it seems to have caused a huge sensation."
"But that place is too far away from us, and I don't know the specifics of what happened. Perhaps the Golden Core realm Ancestor of the Chu Kingdom is well-informed and knows the general outline of the matter."
"The once-in-a-millennium Abyssal Demon Calamity?"
Chen Nianzhi frowned upon hearing this, though she still hadn't gleaned any information about Jiang Linglong from it.
However, this once-in-a-millennium Abyssal Demon Calamity coincides with the time when Jiang Linglong arrived in the Eastern Wilderness, so there may be some connection between them.
Without receiving detailed information, and knowing little about it, Chen Nianzhi Old Clan Leader n't press the matter further. He knew that since Jiang Linglong hadn't told him, she probably didn't want to put too much pressure on him.
"Forget it, the most important thing right now is to focus on cultivation."
After bidding farewell to the Old Clan Leader, Chen Nianzhi did not stay in Peaceful Sun City for long and went to Qingyuan Mountain that same day.
After returning to Qingyuan Mountain, he immediately summoned all the cultivators in the clan who were at least at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining and announced the candidates for Foundation-Building Pill that he and the clan leader had discussed.
The siblings Xian Ling Xian Yan, along with Chen Qingyu, were overjoyed. They excitedly took the Foundation-Building Pill and the Origin-Gathering Pill from Chen Nianzhi.
"I wonder how many of those three are capable of Foundation Establishment."
Seeing the three of them excitedly taking the pills to begin their Foundation Establishment, Chen Nianzhi felt a pang of melancholy.
The older Lineage elders were all quite talented, especially the Great Elder and the Second Elder, who were the best of the Qing Generation. However, they fortuitous opportunity unlucky and ultimately missed the age to Foundation Establishment.
"What a pity."
With a sigh, Chen Nianzhi got up to return to Spirit Lake Isle, but just then Chen Nianchuan walked over.
He looked at Chen Nianzhi, his expression slightly hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, before finally speaking.
"Brother Nianzhi."
Chen Nianzhi paused, glancing at Chen Nianchuan: "Brother, this Foundation-Building Pill..."
"I understand." Chen Nianchuan interrupted, speaking calmly, "Uncle Qingyu does need the Foundation-Building Pill more than I do, so I'm not here for the Foundation-Building Pill."
"What is that?"
"I heard you refined six Origin-Gathering Pill last time. I wonder if you have any left?"
"You want to Self-Foundation Establishment?" Chen Nianzhi's pupils suddenly contracted, but she couldn't help but ask, "Without Foundation-Building Pill to reduce the risks of Foundation Establishment, failure means death. Have you thought it through?"
Chen Nianchuan did not answer. He turned his head to look at the candlelight in the corner, a resolute look in his eyes.
"Before my father decided to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he had a long talk with me all night."
"I am very much like my father. Looking at myself through the lens of my father, I vaguely saw myself decades later."
"That frail, aged appearance, that look of someone waiting for death every day, with no future in sight."
Can you understand that feeling?
"..."