Grievances Accumulated, Return to Spirit Lake Isle

Upon hearing this, Uncle Lin's expression eased somewhat. With a cold face, he said, "Let there be no next time."

"This matter is of great importance. Please allow us to discuss it before making a decision," the Third Elder added, seeing that his anger had subsided.

Uncle Lin nodded, yet still said, "Then I will give you only one day."

"Thank you, Senior."

The group left the Contribution Hall and returned to Chen Qingyuan's residence.

"That Azure Sun Sect is a nest of snakes and rats—this is simply going too far!" The moment they returned, Chen Qingyuan could no longer suppress his fury. "I say we refuse to swallow this insult. We don't want this Foundation Establishment Pill anymore. Qingyuan, just come home with us."

"Fourth."

Chen Qinghao cut off the Fourth Elder, frowning as he said, "A Foundation Establishment Pill is worth a fortune. How can we simply give it up?"

After thinking for a moment, he turned his gaze toward Chen Nianzhi.

"Nianzhi, you are an alchemist. Tell us honestly—what exactly is wrong with that Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Chen Nianzhi pondered briefly before answering truthfully, "That Foundation Establishment Pill has been contaminated by Earthfire Sha Qi. Earth Sha Fire Qi is a vile baleful force born from the fire poison within the Subterranean Fire Vein."

"This Sha Qi is extremely tyrannical. It damages a cultivator's meridians and fleshly body; even Purple Mansion realm cultivators are unwilling to be tainted by it."

"By my estimation, consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill contaminated by Sha Qi is exceedingly dangerous, even if there is only a trace of it."

"If one succeeds, that is one thing. After breaking through to Foundation Establishment, one can temporarily suppress that trace of Fire Baleful Force and seek a way to gradually dispel it later."

"But if one fails, the meridians may shatter inch by inch. Even in the best-case scenario, the Sha Qi will enter the body, the cultivation will be completely ruined, and one will spend the rest of one's life suffering the torment of Fire Baleful Force."

Chen Qingyuan's face paled slightly. Trembling, he asked, "After taking this Foundation Establishment Pill, what are my chances of reaching Foundation Establishment?"

"Likely no more than thirty percent." After estimating it, Chen Nianzhi still tried to dissuade him. "This is truly too dangerous. I advise Uncle Qingyuan to wait another ten years."

"If the Azure Sun Sect refines a few more batches of Foundation Establishment Pills in ten years, perhaps the mission will not be so difficult."

"Ten years? How many ten years do I have?"

Chen Qingyuan suddenly gave a bitter laugh. For his sake, the five great elders of the Lineage had traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and spent nearly a year coming to his aid.

Leaving aside whether they could exchange for an intact Foundation Establishment Pill ten years later, the Second Elder was now gravely wounded and on the verge of death, with his lifespan greatly damaged. That price alone filled him with boundless guilt.

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and said, "Thirty percent is enough. After all, no one knows what will happen in ten years."

"Qingyuan." Everyone still wished to persuade him.

But Chen Qingyuan interrupted them. "No need. My mind is made up."

That very night, Chen Qingyuan exchanged for the Foundation Establishment Pill and prepared to enter seclusion to break through to Foundation Establishment.

Breaking through to Foundation Establishment in seclusion generally took two or three months. As elders of the Lineage, each of them bore heavy responsibilities. Now that the mission had been completed, they naturally had no time to linger here idly.

After bidding farewell to Chen Qingyuan, the group headed for Qingyuan Mountain. Another six months passed on the road before they finally arrived.

After returning to Qingyuan Mountain, Chen Nianzhi did not immediately return to Spirit Isle Lake, because the Third Elder kept him behind.

"The Lineage's Qi-Accumulating Grass has matured."

"Now that Qing Meng has left, the task of refining Qi-Absorbing Pills can only fall to you."

The Chen Clan's five mu of Qi-Accumulating Grass matured once every five years. The harvest season had actually arrived half a year ago, but because Chen Nianzhi, the Lineage's only alchemist, had been far away at the Azure Sun Sect, it had been delayed until now.

Now that Chen Nianzhi had returned, he naturally had to take up the task of refining Qi-Absorbing Pills.

Just like five years ago, this harvest yielded enough Qi-Accumulating Grass for fifty batches. Chen Nianzhi spent six or seven days before finally refining all fifty batches of Qi-Absorbing Pills.

His alchemy had now slightly surpassed even Chen Qingmeng's from back then. Coupled with his stronger true qi and divine sense, the refining process went much more smoothly.

After refining the fifty batches of Qi-Absorbing Pills, he discovered with delight that he had produced three hundred and fifty-three pills. This exceeded Chen Qingmeng's previous results, reaching a pill yield rate of seventy percent.

"This pill yield rate has actually surpassed seventy percent."

"With your alchemy, Nianzhi, once you break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, you will likely be able to immediately attempt to reach Tier 2."

After Chen Qinghao finished counting the Qi-Absorbing Pills, he revealed a delighted expression. "With these pills, we can make up some of the Spirit Stones the Lineage owes its members."

Chen Nianzhi nodded and said modestly, "My rapid improvement also has much to do with that Pill Canon."

After refining the Qi-Absorbing Pills, he did not stay long. Following a day of rest, he returned to Spirit Isle Lake.

When he returned to Spirit Isle Lake, he found Xian Yan and Xian Ling cultivating. Both had already condensed true qi and broken through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining.

"Not bad."

Chen Nianzhi revealed a pleased expression. The two siblings had come to Spirit Isle Lake five years ago. Before the age of nine, they had only been laying their foundations, and when he left, they had merely just embarked upon cultivation.

Yet during the year and a half he had been gone, they had broken through two layers in succession. This delighted him greatly.

At eleven years old, reaching the Second Layer of Qi Refining might not compare to his own childhood, but it still counted as exceptional talent. They had hope of reaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining in their twenties.

"You're back."

The old uncle had returned from tending the Spirit Fields. The instant he saw Chen Nianzhi, delight appeared on his face.

He followed Chen Nianzhi's gaze and smiled. "These two little ones have good talent. Right now is precisely the stage for laying their foundations."

"I used some of your Spirit Peaches to help speed up their cultivation. You won't blame me, will you?"

Chen Nianzhi smiled and shook his head. "I only hope these two little ones will not disappoint your expectations."

As he spoke, he suddenly laughed soundlessly. Before he knew it, he was already past twenty-two, and he had spent more than seven years at Spirit Isle Lake.

Back in the courtyard, the grandfather and grandson, who had not seen each other for a long time, sat facing one another over tea and spoke of the events of the past few years.

After Chen Changyan heard him finish recounting what had happened at Heavenly Ruins Mountain, he sighed with emotion. "The Azure Sun Sect has acted unfairly. Over the years, it has already lost the people's hearts. There is more than one or two Lineages like our Chen Clan that bear resentment toward them."

"There are still more than thirty years before the Beast Turmoil that comes once every century. If the great Lineages cannot stand united then, the Azure Sun Alliance will be no more than a scrap of waste paper."

"I fear the Chu Kingdom is about to see the heavens change. Only the common people of this world will suffer."

The speaker had no such intention, but the listener took it to heart.

Chen Nianzhi listened silently, yet he felt pressure descend upon him.

Though it was said that when the sky fell, the tall bore it first, how could any egg remain whole beneath an overturned nest?

If one day the borders fell and the rivers and mountains were shattered, if the Chu Kingdom became the Great Wilderness Demon Domain and countless living beings became food for demons, what right would the Chen Clan have to remain untouched?

I am still not strong enough!

I must become stronger. If the tall cannot hold up the sky, then I will climb higher and become the taller one.

Chen Nianzhi murmured inwardly, deciding to begin preparing for Foundation Establishment as soon as possible.