Azure Sun Sect, Foundation Establishment Pill

Chen Qingyuan was only thirty-six years old, yet his foundation was already solid. If he obtained this Foundation Establishment Pill and succeeded in Foundation Establishment, his prospects would be boundless. Perhaps he might even have a chance of breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm in the future.

"It seems my Chen Clan has turned its fortunes around these past few years."

Fourth Elder Chen Qingyuan laughed heartily.

"Now that our external debts have been repaid and the Lineage's deficit erased, once the clan leader recovers from his injuries, if we can keep the Five Elements Essence business at Heavenly Ruins Mountain going, we can gradually repay the money we owe our clansmen."

"If Qingyuan succeeds in Foundation Establishment, we'll have someone in the Azure Sun Sect. Perhaps we can even find a way to get a slice of Yuyang Market's tax dividends."

As Chen Qingyuan envisioned the Lineage's future development, Third Elder's expression did not look very pleasant.

Chen Nianzhi was skilled at reading faces. Seeing Third Elder's expression, his heart sank slightly, and he asked.

"Uncle Qing Hao, do you seem to have something else to say?"

"Alas..."

Third Elder sighed and handed Chen Nianzhi a letter.

"You should see for yourselves."

Chen Nianzhi accepted the letter and hurriedly read through it. A grave look appeared in his eyes.

Seeing his expression, Second Elder sensed that something was wrong. He snatched the letter away, and it was quickly passed around. The hot-tempered Fourth Elder flew into a rage on the spot.

"This Azure Sun Sect has gone too far! They've gone too far!"

"Have they truly cast all shame to the wind?"

Everyone looked awful. It was no wonder Fourth Elder had lost his composure; the Azure Sun Sect was truly using its power to bully others.

The letter Chen Qingyuan had sent this time did indeed mention the Foundation Establishment Pill, but it also made clear that the Azure Sun Sect had tricked the Chen Immortal Clan once again.

According to the Azure Sun Sect's original promise, they were to compensate the Chen Immortal Clan for half its losses. By rights, that compensation should have been one Foundation Establishment Pill.

If matters had been distributed that way, Chen Qingyuan should have directly received one Foundation Establishment Pill.

But now, the Purple Mansion elder responsible for distributing Foundation Establishment Pills in the Azure Sun Sect had changed his mind. He had converted one Foundation Establishment Pill into ten thousand sect contribution points.

Although the Azure Sun Sect's founding patriarch had long established the rule that ten thousand sect contribution points could be exchanged for one Foundation Establishment Pill, there was a great deal of hidden meaning in that.

A Foundation Establishment Pill might be worth ten thousand contribution points, but ten thousand sect contribution points might not necessarily get one a Foundation Establishment Pill.

A few years ago, in order to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill from Heavenly Ruins Mountain, the Chen Clan had paid an exorbitant premium of more than thirty thousand Spirit Stones before winning it at auction against many competitors.

Yet within the Azure Sun Sect, one could purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill merely by spending ten thousand Spirit Stones to exchange for contribution points.

Though this internal price was far cheaper, a lower price meant more people could afford the exchange, while the Azure Sun Sect's supply of Foundation Establishment Pills was limited.

Thus, in order to eliminate the weak and select cultivators with the greatest chance of Foundation Establishment, the Azure Sun Sect had added a task as a requirement for exchanging for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Anyone wishing to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill had to complete a mission to slay a Foundation Establishment Realm demonic beast.

"Enough. There's no need to be angry." Third Elder shook his head and could not help sighing. "The Azure Sun Sect has done this because someone has taken a fancy to our Chen Clan's Foundation Establishment Pill."

"Are they really going to be so unreasonable?"

Chen Qingwan gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with fury. "Then we'll take this to Heavenly Ruins Mountain and ask Patriarch Jiang to uphold justice for us."

"Though Patriarch Jiang is fair and just, she is ultimately only a Purple Mansion cultivator."

Second Elder revealed a troubled expression. "We are neither related to her nor acquainted with her. How can we ask her to repeatedly stand up for us?"

"Besides, sixty years have already passed. It's hard to say how many people even remember what happened."

"The Azure Sun Sect is powerful. If we truly make a big issue of this, leaving aside whether anyone will intervene, how will Qingyuan continue to conduct himself in the Azure Sun Sect afterward?"

Chen Nianzhi listened quietly, feeling a stifling grievance surge up in his heart.

He glanced at everyone, then finally forced down his resentment and spoke.

"They are powerful, and we have no strength to resist. The only thing we can do now is find a way to help Uncle Qingyuan complete this mission."

He paused and looked toward Third Elder. "Can Great-Uncle make a move?"

Chen Qinghao shook his head. "After obtaining the Meridian-Nourishing Pill, the clan leader entered a life-or-death seclusion to heal his injuries. Disturbing him now would likely ruin everything we have accomplished."

"Then we won't disturb him." Chen Nianzhi made the decision. "The few of us will think of a way to help Uncle Qingyuan complete the mission."

The others exchanged looks, then finally nodded.

Foundation Establishment demonic beasts were powerful, but their intelligence was not high, and their methods were not as sharp and overbearing as those of Human Race Foundation Establishment cultivators.

If several Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivators joined forces and set up an array, it was not impossible to contend against one.

Moreover, Chen Nianzhi possessed the Scarlet Iron Saber Blank. It had the power to gravely wound a Foundation Establishment demonic beast and might deliver the final hammer blow at a critical moment.

Having made up his mind, Third Elder said decisively, "Since we're going to act, we need to plan carefully and ensure the greatest possible chance of success."

"To raise Spirit Stones, I sold my magical artifact, the Azure Spirit Sword, back then. I'll need to purchase another one."

As he spoke, he looked at Chen Nianzhi. "I know you're the wealthiest in the Lineage, so I'll need to borrow some from you."

Chen Nianzhi nodded and took several magical artifacts from his Storage Bag: the Mother-and-Child Flying Knives, the Scarlet Radiance Ruler, and a green flying sword.

He had obtained all three sets of magical artifacts after killing those cultivators while exploring the ancient cultivator's Cultivation Abode. All were Tier 1 High-grade magical artifacts.

Among these sets of magical artifacts, the flying sword was somewhat weaker, but the Scarlet Radiance Ruler and the Mother-and-Child Flying Knives were exceptionally extraordinary.

Unfortunately, Chen Nianzhi was already at his limit controlling the magical artifacts he currently possessed. If he controlled any more, neither his divine sense nor True Essence could sustain it. It was just right to give them to the others now.

Seeing the magical artifacts before him, Third Elder immediately took the Mother-and-Child Flying Knives. This set was remarkably powerful and happened to suit his primary Gold Spiritual Root perfectly.

Fourth Elder Chen Qingyuan took the Scarlet Radiance Ruler, looking as though he could not put it down, while the last flying sword fell into Chen Qingwan's hands.

Second Elder took nothing. He possessed a magical artifact called the Scarlet Copper Demon-Breaking Shuttle, whose power was quite extraordinary. He was not lacking an offensive magical artifact.

After each of them had received a magical artifact, Third Elder said with a smile, "We'll bring the Blazing Sun Heavenly Fire Array Flags, then borrow the Jiuyi Bell from First Elder. This trip should give us some confidence."

Chen Nianzhi nodded at those words. The Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Banner was an array instrument set the clan leader had refined by imitating Peaceful Sun City's City-Protecting Array.

It was a Tier 2 Low-grade killing array composed of six blazing fire banners. If six Ninth Layer of Qi Refining cultivators activated it together, they could barely contend with a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator.

In fact, the clan leader had spent a tremendous sum to refine two sets of Blazing Sun Heavenly Fire Array Flags. However, in order to escort the Foundation Establishment Pill, one set had been destroyed in that battle.

The Jiuyi Bell was a Tier 2 Low-grade defensive magical artifact. Once activated, it could withstand a Foundation Establishment cultivator for a short while.